


The War Within

by galactic-pirates (stillsearching47)



Series: War Within Verse [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ensemble Cast, F/M, Gen, True Love's Kiss, Zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-07-16 10:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 71,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7265014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillsearching47/pseuds/galactic-pirates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Season Six. Storybrooke is visibly under threat once more from Hyde and the Evil Queen. However, not all threats are visible as an old forgotten foe has been manipulating events from behind the scenes. The very nature of darkness is revealed as everyone struggles with the most difficult beast of all - acceptance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Previously on Once Upon a Time ..._

“Belle, Belle, Belle! Oh no, oh no,” Rumplestiltskin grabbed at the white sheets of the hotel room bed.

Pandora’s box had been laying there safely just a moment earlier. He had sensed a portal opening and had grabbed for the only thing he had that anyone would want - the Olympian crystal. It was his one chance of waking his true love. He needed it but he needed Belle more. Why had the box been summoned? He felt a chill. Did the person that summoned the portal know who the box contained?

He had a lot of enemies. If Pandora’s box had been taken because Belle was inside .. it didn’t bear thinking about. He had to get her back, no matter the cost.

***

“Still battling against your better half I see,” Rumplestiltskin told Hyde. Outwardly he appeared calm, inwardly he was anything but calm. His eyes scanned the room quickly, he couldn’t see Pandora’s box but it was here and Hyde would give it to him.

They bantered for a few moments before Rumplestiltskin lost his patience. He started choking Hyde. The man was a bully and that was how best to deal with bullies, show them that they weren’t the toughest on the playground anymore.

“I can help you ... wake Belle,” Hyde managed, scrabbling at his neck to pry off the non-existent magical hands. “There is one place that holds the answer you seek.”

***

On a rooftop in New York, Snow White hands Regina a vial of Jekyll’s serum.

“I believe that this could be the end of the Evil Queen, as long as you’re sure that’s what you want,” Snow told Regina earnestly.

“I want her gone,” Regina vowed.

The serum splitting wasn’t the most physically painful experience Regina ever endured. However, it was certainly the oddest sensation she had felt. When she saw herself, dressed in the garb she had preferred thirty years earlier, she knew she was making the right choice. That wasn’t her anymore and she needed peace. She was so tired.

Regina thrust her hand forward and grabbed the evil queen’s heart. “I’m sorry,” Regina said as she crushed it. The queen crumbled into dust.

It was finally over, she was finally free.

***

“I’m sorry if I got you into trouble for missing everyone’s trip back to Camelot,” Henry apologized.

Violet shrugged. “It’s ok. There’s something .. something I haven’t told you. My father didn’t go back because he isn’t from Camelot. It’s just a place he wound up in.”

“I .. I don’t understand,” Henry stammered, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Violet looked almost sheepish and Henry felt his heart constrict in fear. Where was Violet’s dad from? Was it somewhere strange? Was she about to say she was part monster or something? Not that he would mind that, his family tree was more than a little screwed up. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones but that didn’t stop his imagination from running away from him for a few moments.

“He’s originally from here, this land,” Violet told him easily. “From a place called Connecticut.”

Henry breathed a sigh of relief but if anything his confusion deepened. He couldn’t think of travel between this land and the Enchanted Forest without thinking about his dad. The whole reason for the first dark curse was so his grandfather could get to the land without magic, and find his dad. There would have been no need for the curse if there had been an easier way.

How had Violet’s dad got to Camelot? He might have only been magically declared an author but he sensed a story here.

***

Hyde stepped out onto Storybrooke’s main street. “Storybrooke is mine now.”

Meanwhile in New York, the evil queen lunged forward and grabbed the dragon’s heart. “The Queen is back.”

*****

_And now the conclusion ..._

It was the day after Hyde’s arrival in Storybrooke. He hadn’t been lying when he said that he had ‘brought some friends’ as the small Maine town was once more bustling with life. When given the choice, and an open doorway, a lot of former residents had chosen to return to the Enchanted Forest. Parts of the town had been all but abandoned with entire streets full of houses left empty. A lot of those houses had quickly been claimed by the new arrivals.

“I should have gone,” Emma muttered to herself, pacing up and down in a small circuit between tables at Granny’s diner.

“I suppose you do have experience as a thief,” Regina teased.

Emma stopped her pacing to roll her eyes. Hyde’s unexpected appearance yesterday had resulted in Hook and David immediately making a return trip to New York. Somebody needed to go and Gold’s pouch of magic dust was only enough for two. Now that magic had returned to Storybrooke, the counter-measures on the townline to prevent people leaving were back. If anyone crossed without the pouch of dust they would turn into trees, just like Dopey.

They really needed to break this new curse, the third dark curse to fall upon Storybrooke. However, no-one seemed to know how it could be done. Something needed to spark the magic that turned a regular kiss, into true loves kiss. Until that happened they were stuck.

Hook and David had gone back for the storybooks in the New York library. Hyde had brought a lot of people from the ‘land of untold stories’ and those books were the key to figuring out who they were dealing with. If those storybooks were like Henry’s, they might even contain vital information that could deal with the newcomers if they started any trouble.

It had to be done. Emma just hoped they didn’t get caught. She wasn’t entirely sure what could be offered as a defense against stealing from a public library. She looked round the diner for a distraction. Very few of the tables were occupied. However, the corner booth by the front window was one of the few.

Lily was sitting there and Emma felt a surge of guilt. She hadn’t spoken to Lily once since she had come to Storybrooke. Emma knew she had been busy but she had made Lily a promise, they all had, that they would find her father.

Emma strode over to where Lily was sitting. “Hey Lily, I just thought you’d like to know, the new storybooks will be here soon.”

“Oh really?” Lily looked up and arched an eyebrow.

Lily looked bored and Emma frowned. She had been discussing the books with Regina and Snow, it wasn’t exactly a secret and so surely Lily knew what she meant. These weren’t just regular storybooks after all. Perhaps she just didn’t realize what it could mean for her.

“I just thought maybe, they have other stories in, maybe there’s something about your dad,” Emma explained.

Lily laughed. “Seriously you’re offering to help with this _now_?”

“A lot has been going on,” Emma said defensively, feeling that unwanted surge of guilt again before banishing it.

This wasn’t her fault, Lily had always made out it was, but nothing that happened between them had been her fault. Emma's parents yes, because they had put her darkness in Lily, but they hadn’t known what they were doing. They might never have done it without the manipulation of Isaac the author, so it wasn’t really their fault either.

Lily laughed bitterly again. “Oh I know all about your priorities Emma but don’t worry yourself, I already solved that mystery.” Lily stood up from the table, abandoning her half drunk coffee.

“Wait you know who your dad is? Who is he?” Emma blurted out, surprised.

“None of your damn business, that’s who,” Lily replied coolly. She threw open the diner door and strode out.

Emma watched her leave. Lily crossed the street and turned left. Emma turned back to where Regina and Snow were sitting on the other side of the diner. She walked over and took a seat next to Snow, casting another confused look towards the door.

“Well that went well,” Regina said sarcastically.

Emma looked at her. “Do you know?” she asked vaguely.

“Mal said it was a dragon thing. I didn’t _want_ to know,” Regina replied, shuddering lightly.

“At least the mystery has been solved,” Snow pointed out in a hopeful tone. “Perhaps it will help her.”

“Maybe,” Emma muttered. She shook her head to re-focus. “Have you heard from David yet?”

*****

_~Flashback~_

Lily looked over at her mom. Maleficent was everything she had imagined and nothing she had imagined at the same time. Once she had been told the truth of her origins by that old man on the bus, she had looked for every picture of the dragon queen she could. She had formed a picture in her head that had been proven wrong, which made sense because those pictures were fiction and her mom was real.

It was slightly jarring in a way to see Maleficent in clothes from this land, that had never been how she had pictured her. However, in another way it was very comforting because this land was all Lily had known. This kind of moment, walking next to her mother in the park, it was all she had ever dreamed of as a child.

It was a sunny day and the light bounced off Maleficent’s blonde hair. Lily wondered if that meant that her dad was dark haired. Her mom was enough, she didn’t need her father because she needed him, it was the not knowing that was gnawing at her gut. It was like an emptiness, a hole and only the truth would make it right.

“So mom,” Lily drew out the word, enjoying the way Maleficent smiled hearing it. That made her feel wanted, like her mom wanted her as much as she wanted her mom. “You said that you’d tell me more about my dad. So tell me about where you met? What he was like? What did he look like?”

Maleficent sighed and shifted uncomfortably. “I’ve already told you .. it’s a dragon thing.”

“That tells me nothing but that you were both dragons. How are we supposed to find him if I don’t even know what kind of dragon he was?” Lily pressed.

“Can we discuss this later?” Maleficent pleaded.

“No you keep putting it off. What aren’t you telling me? You’re keeping something from me, aren’t you? You’re just like everyone else,” Lily shouted.

Her anger which always simmered below the surface exploded like it always did. Just like always fear followed the anger. She meant every word and she was still angry, but she didn’t want to drive her mother away, not like she had driven away everyone else who had ever got close to her. From the crestfallen expression on Maleficent’s face, she wasn’t thinking about leaving, not yet anyway. It was probably only a matter of time, no-one was ever willing to put up with her for long.

“No Lily, I’m sorry. I just .. I don’t know to tell you, I don’t know if I should,” Maleficent started.

They came to a stop on the path. Lily looked around, no-one else was in the park, no-one else had heard her outburst. They could talk here, they could finally have the conversation. Lily felt in her gut that she was finally going to get the truth. There was a bench just a few more yards, Lily headed for it and both mother and daughter took a seat.

“If it’s the truth then you should definitely tell me. I want to know!” Lily said, internally wincing because it sounded a lot more demanding than she intended.

Was she ever going to get this right? Was she ever going to get a handle on the double dose of darkness and not have everything she touched turn to ash?

“Ok,” Maleficent agreed. She hesitated and took a deep breath, obviously deliberating on how to start.

For once in her life Lily waited patiently. She watched the conflicting expressions cross her mothers face and her gut twisted. Maybe she didn’t want to hear the truth because whatever it was, it didn’t seem like it was going to be good.

“One day I was in my fortress and Prince Charming appeared looking for a dragon,” Maleficent began.

Lily snorted. That sounded about right for the so-called heroes. Dragon fighting was so cliché, definitely need to tick that off the bucket list. She could just picture the noble pose the idiot would have made.

“He didn’t realize I was the dragon,” Maleficent continued with a wry smile. “I transformed and to my surprise he didn’t attempt to slay me. I was looking forward to roasting the idiot when he thrust something in one of my breathing flaps ..” Maleficent stopped and took another deep breath. “I learned later that it contained a vial of true love.”

Maleficent paused again and gave Lily a long look, which Lily couldn’t interpret. It was longing, hopelessness, fierce love, it was so many things wrapped in one. The expression was bordering on pained because love hurt.

“The bottle of true love changed me, it made me aware of how empty my life was. Think about it. A baby from a dragon’s egg? It was a product of magic. You were a product of magic. There is no father, at least not in the traditional sense,” Maleficent explained quickly, stumbling over the words in her haste.

“But there must have something from someone?” Lily asked automatically. Although she wasn’t as unfamiliar with this concept as Maleficent might think, there were many ways to make a baby in the land without magic.

Maleficent sighed and looked off into the distance. Her eyes not seeing the lake and the woods beyond but instead something else, someone else.

“I loved him once.”

Lily swallowed hard and said nothing. She knew her mothers story, she knew every version this land had and while much was nonsense, the truth was there if you read between the lines. She knew of the feud with Briar Rose and King Stefan. She could make an educated guess and really she didn’t need to know anymore. Her mother wanted her desperately and that was enough.

It really was enough.

_~Flashback~_

*****

Rumplestiltskin had yet to leave the asylum. He sat on the floor, his back to the wall and the wreckage of Dr Jekyll’s laboratory in front of him. Hyde had made quite the mess in his rage. Rumplestiltskin cradled Pandora’s box close to his chest, holding it gently but firmly in his right hand. The apprentice’s wand was clenched tightly in his left fist.

It almost physically hurt to hold the wand. He couldn’t stop looking at it, staring at the carved stick, which apart from the decorative flourishes was completely innocuous in appearance. Without being told, nobody would guess the power it contained.

This wand had the power to open portals between realms. With this wand he could go anywhere - including the land without magic. If only he had had it all those years ago. He could have immediately followed his beloved boy, Baelfire, and saved him from the tortures of Neverland. He wouldn’t have had to watch him die the way he did. Everything could have been different.

Different but not necessarily better.

“Oh, Belle,” Rumplestiltskin sighed.

His thumb gently brushed against the top of the box. He would always love Baelfire with every fiber of his being. However, he couldn’t put one child over another. He would always wish that Bae had lived, he would always hate himself for the part he inadvertently played in his son’s death. He just could no longer wish to turn back the clock to that fateful day with the portal.

He needed Belle, and their child, as well as Bae. He needed his entire family, but that was never to be. For all the power this wand contained, for all that Miss Swan had seemingly proved otherwise in recent days, he had been right in what he had told Regina all those years ago. _‘Magic can do much but not that. Dead is dead.’_

Rumplestiltskin took a shuddering breath and slowly got to his feet. His knuckles were turning white around the handle of the wand. The wand, or more to the point how he had obtained it, was something else he knew he would be damned for, nothing he ever did was right. Once he had pinned all his hopes on the author to level the playing field, to give villains an equal chance.

He knew better now. The problem wasn’t with villains, it was with him. Whatever he did, good or bad, it didn’t matter. He had told Regina that intentions were meaningless. All his life, whatever decisions he made, those in power never approved. Even now he had power of his own, or perhaps especially because he now held power, nothing had changed.

He was tired. The acceptance of the so-called heroes would be unnecessary if it didn’t affect his life. For some reason Belle considered them friends, and he couldn’t help think that their opinions were impacting Belle’s own.

Then there was Henry. He didn’t really want to think about his grandson too deeply right now, the events of New York were still too fresh and too painful. However, he was Bae’s son, he was family and that meant something, no matter what anyone else thought.

It really wasn’t like he had done much, but Rumplestiltskin knew that no one else would see it that way.

*****

_~Flashback~_

“I think it’s time that we talk about a deal,” Hyde gasped, his hands scrabbling at the phantom hands around his neck, choking him.

Rumplestiltskin lessened the magical pressure around Hyde’s neck. With a subtle twist of his hand, he kept Hyde hovering a foot above the floor but rotated the man to face him. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed, his keen gaze scanning the desperate soul before him.

Could it be true? Could Hyde know a place where he could wake Belle? Down in the underworld true love’s kiss had failed. Belle’s father had effectively refused with the conditions he had demanded and Rumplestiltskin didn’t believe it would have worked anyway. That was the problem. Right now Hyde wasn’t the only desperate soul in the room.

“How do you even know about Belle?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

He wanted to know the answer but asking the question also bought him time. He needed time to think, to decide, because he knew that Hyde couldn’t be trusted especially now Hyde had finally succeeded in splitting himself from Jekyll, his better half.

Hyde smirked, a toying cruel expression which even now made Rumplestiltskin’s gut feel like it was submerged in ice water. He knew that expression of old. It was the expression of someone that knew they held the power to hurt and were relishing wielding that power.

“We never have got many visits from the denizens of the Enchanted Forest. When four residents appeared in my grounds I assumed they were friends of yours. A fact they were exceptionally eager to disprove,” Hyde told them spitefully, his eyes glinting with malice. “Yes they were more than happy to tell me about you, and your current predicament with your pregnant wife.”

Outwardly Rumplestiltskin kept his expression neutral, just raising a single eyebrow in a disdainful fashion. Hyde wanted to hurt him and he wasn’t going to give the man the satisfaction. He wished that he could say that he was surprised but truthfully he wasn’t.

It was just more evidence that the heroes, were heroes in name only. In reality they just did the same as everyone else, they took care of their own. He couldn't blame them for that, but he did blame them for their hypocrisy. His heart hurt for Belle because while he might have earned their hatred, she deserved better.

“Now let me guess,” Rumplestiltskin started, a cruel bite to his tone. “From a choice of four, who is the most likely suspect? Zelena? Well there is no love lost there and of course the pirate, wouldn’t put anything past him. However, I think it has to be Snow White herself, the truth telling Princess likely just couldn’t help herself when faced with the sheer horror of being associated with yours truly.”

Rumplestiltskin finished with a mocking laugh but unfortunately more honesty had bled through there than he had intended. He had helped the ‘Charmings’ a lot over the years, they would likely have nothing, not even each other, if it hadn’t been for his intervention.

However, just because he didn’t work for free meant he was evil in their eyes. ‘The scourge of the realms’ was how Charming had described him, before helping Cinderella and Prince Thomas imprison him in the mines. How was that fair?

“What is it that you want?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“Storybrooke,” Hyde replied simply.

“Then we have a problem dearie, Storybrooke isn’t mine to give,” Rumplestiltskin said smoothly. His lips quirked. “However, give me the apprentices wand and I will open a portal for you. I won’t get in your way and you get to keep your life. That is if I like the information you give me.”

Hyde licked his lips and managed a slight nod. “Deal. What you seek can be found in the lost city of Atlantis. The city is powered by a crystal, it should have enough power to wake your little wife.”

Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed as he considered the information. He had taken the Olympian crystal fragment and infused it with power because he hoped that would be enough. True love’s kiss was supposed to be the only way to wake someone from a sleeping curse. However, he had hoped that enough power would be able to change that.

What Hyde had just told him tracked with his hopes and lined up with what little he knew of Atlantis. It seemed Hyde and his fellow citizens of the land of untold stories would be visiting Storybrooke after all.

“I have one condition,” Rumplestiltskin said carefully. “Do what you will in Storybrooke but Henry Mills is off-limits. He must not be harmed either by your action or inaction. Do we understand one another?”

“I understand,” Hyde agreed.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. He had just given Hyde leverage by letting him know that Henry was important to him. However, he knew that Hyde was no fool and that he wouldn’t dare act on the information. Thankfully he still inspired enough fear to ensure that.

“Then we have a deal.”

_~Flashback~_

*****

Rumplestiltskin shook his head to clear it. He needed to stop staring at the wand because it could transport him anywhere, and instead use it to transport him to where he needed to go - Atlantis. He took a deep breath and waved the wand.

With a muffled pop and a solid thud, a doorway materialized into existence in front of him. Rumplestiltskin waved his hand and the door creaked, slowly swinging open.

“It’s going to be alright Belle,” Rumplestiltskin promised the box, still held lovingly in his right hand. “Soon I’ll have what I need to wake you and then ...” he tailed off unable to finish the thought.

He couldn’t imagine a future without Belle and their child. However, if Belle chose to leave him he would accept that. He had never understood why she had ever stayed with him in the first place. That was part of why her father’s assertion, that he had placed Belle under some kind of spell to make her love him, bothered him so much. It couldn’t be further from the truth.

“You and our child will be safe and healthy, and you will have everything you need,” he vowed.

Rumplestiltskin took another deep breath and stepped through the doorway - Atlantis beckoned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to post a new chapter once a week. I definitely want to have this finished before season 6 airs for real. I'm not going to 100% promise this, but I do promise I will do my absolute best. Anyway, enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

_~Flashback~_  
_Probably Several Hundred Years Ago_

Hades stalked around his room on Mount Olympus. Everything he touched, he destroyed. He swept the books from the shelf, they landed with a crash on the stone floor and his magic whirled like a cyclone ripping them to shreds. He incinerated his bed with a burst of flame, he upended the table and reduced it to kindling. Nothing survived his rampage.

He was the second son, he had always known he was the second son, but he had been born to be a king and there was only one throne. Zeus had always been their father’s favorite, born in his image. All bulky muscle, chiseled looks and little brain, the stereotypical picture that mortals had of the gods of Olympus.

Today what he had long feared had finally come to pass. Kronos had named Zeus as the next ruler of Mount Olympus. It wasn’t fair, why should Zeus get everything? Hades had tried to be a good son but it had never been enough.

Earlier Kronos had looked at Zeus and said that he would make a great king. Hades had managed to stop himself from snorting in disbelief but it was a statement that required questioning. Why would Zeus make a good king? Wouldn’t he make a good king?

He had asked his father and Kronos had said, _‘Hades my son, you were both born to be King but you do not yet understand how to rule. This is your brother’s time, your time will come.’_ and like a dutiful son Hades had nodded and thanked his father. However, he burned. He was smarter than Zeus, how dare his father say that he didn’t understand how to rule.

Hades took a deep breath and tried to calm down but he couldn’t, it was like trying to stop the waves from crashing on the shore, the ocean of rage inside him would not be contained. Something had to be done, he had to do something, this could not stand.

The chiming of a bell cut through the still night air and Hades glanced out the window. Time had passed and Mount Olympus slumbered, unbidden a plan appeared fully formed in his mind. He bit his bottom lip as he considered the idea. Slowly he nodded to himself, the bubbling rage inside him approved of the plan and urged him forward.

Suddenly Hades turned and moved with purpose towards the door. A wave of his hand opened it silently and closed it behind him as he crept into the corridor. In a matter of moments he was outside the door to his father’s chambers. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, his sandals made a quiet slapping sound against the stone floor and his father stirred but it was far too late.

Hades hand darted out and sunk into his father’s chest, retrieving the gods red glowing heart. Even gods could die, even gods needed a heart. Tears welled in his eyes but it wasn’t grief, it was rage. Without hesitation he clenched his first, crushing the heart into dust. The fine powder drifted down onto Kronos’s white nightgown.

He negligently brushed the last grains off his hand. “You’re wrong about me, father. I will make a great king.”

Using the back of his hand Hades wiped his eyes and looked over to the far side of the bed chamber. There was a towering pedestal displaying an ornate filigreed box, his true target for the evening. He smirked as he approached it, nothing would stop him now. He opened the box and inside lay an ancient crystal, shaped like a crude lightning bolt.

“The Olympian crystal,” Hades whispered reverently. He reached for it but his hand froze inches from the crystal when he heard a booming voice from behind him.

“So your heart really is sickened.” Zeus shook his head sadly, his hand gently placed on his father’s lifeless shoulder in one last goodbye.

Hades grabbed the crystal and pointed it at Zeus. His heart was pounding and Hades hated himself for that, for the fear his brother could instantly inspire. Zeus straightened to his full intimidating height and stepped towards him. Hades grip tightened on the crystal, with a single thought he could vaporize his brother. He felt like laughing, he was the one with all the power here, he would be King and Zeus couldn’t stop him, nothing could stop him now.

“Enough brother, will you not take a moment to mourn our father who loved you?” Zeus asked, his voice filled with compassion.

Blue flame burst from Hades skull, giving him a head full of fire as his anger grew. He stared at Zeus in amazement. He had just killed their father, he would certainly not mourn him but then that was not what Zeus had meant. Zeus was clearly just twisting the knife, mocking the fact that he had always been their father’s favorite and that Hades had always been second best.

“No, Zeus,” Hades spat, shaking his head. “He only loved you.”

The powerful magic contained within the crystal glowed, practically begging for him to use it. For the first time Zeus eyed the crystal with something akin to trepidation. Hades relished his brothers fear, it was one of the few times he had seen his all-powerful brother scared. To think that he was causing that fear was delicious.

“The power within that crystal is not yours to wield,” Zeus warned. “The Olympian crystal is dangerous. It belongs to the ...”

“It belongs to the King,” Hades interrupted. “And once I use this to kill you, I will have the kingdom I desire.”

“Then why have you not yet done so?” Zeus demanded.

Hades smirked and sent a jolt into the crystal, a white beam of pure power snaked from the end. It should have hit Zeus like a lightning bolt but before it could Hades felt a tingling in his hands. The power from the crystal dissipated and the crystal vanished from his hands, appearing in the hands of his brother.

“I told you, the crystal belongs to the King,” Zeus told him.

Zeus gripped each end of the crystal and flexed his powerful muscles. They strained with the effort but before Hades could even scream a denial the Olympian crystal snapped in two. Still holding the broken crystal, Zeus pointed the remains of one half at his brother. A small spark leapt from the crystal. Hades clutched his chest and gasped for breath. That felt different, that felt wrong.

“What did you do?” Hades screamed.

“I stopped your heart,” Zeus said sadly. “Only true love’s kiss will reverse it and make it beat again. Go back to the underworld brother and take your precious crystal.” Zeus threw the two broken pieces of the Olympian crystal at Hades. “Without a beating heart, you will never fix it. All you will have is that broken crystal. Learn to love brother and then you can return.”

“Oh I will return,” Hades vowed. “And I will have my kingdom.”

In a swirl of smoke Hades disappeared. Zeus sighed and turned to leave, arrangements would need to be made for Kronos. Out of the corner of his eye a white fragment glinted on the stone floor. Zeus bent down and picked it up. It was a lost fragment of the Olympian crystal, which had snapped off. With or without a beating heart, Hades would never repair the crystal without this fragment. Given his brother’s state of mind, that could be a good thing.

“Now where shall I put this?” Zeus wondered aloud.

Keeping the crystal fragment on Mount Olympus was ill-advised. Hades was banished but he was not locked out. His vengeful brother needed no additional reason to return. For the time being this fragment needed to be kept somewhere safer. Zeus nodded to himself, he had just the place in mind, a mortal kingdom on an island - Atlantis.

_~Flashback~_

*****

“Oh they’re back,” Snow sighed in relief.

Emma shot to her feet. David’s truck had just pulled up outside Granny’s and as she watched Hook jumped down from the passenger seat. A smile spread across her face as she moved over towards the door. She was only halfway there when the door was pushed open and Hook appeared, a heavy bag dangling from his good hand.

“Miss me Swan?” Hook asked, winking at her as he heaved the heavy bag of books up onto the nearest table.

Behind him David staggered in, a bag of books in each hand. “That’s all of them, thankfully.” David put the bags down and shook out his hands. Snow dashed over and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Regina wrinkled her nose and ignored the hollow ache in her chest. “Let’s hope the trip was worthwhile and see what’s in these moldy old tomes shall we?”

“Feeling a little impatient your Majesty?” Hook joked.

“There’s a lot of people running around this town. We need to identify them, or at least the problematic ones.” Regina pointed out the diner window. “For instance, that one would be an excellent place to start.”

Emma, Hook, Snow and David all turned to look where Regina was pointing. There was a man in the street dressed in a brown leather jerkin and black leather pants. Typical attire for a knight that wasn’t in amour. He was wielding a sword and as they watched he charged Doc’s Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Even now the curse was broken Doc was still very protective of his car and all five of them winced as the sword crashed down. The confused knight slashing at what to the uninitiated might seem like a roaring beast, or at least it would if the car was running.

“What does he think he is doing?” David shook his head in disbelief at the sight.

“Perhaps these books will tell us,” Snow said optimistically.

David reached into the first bag and stacked the books on the table. A minute later all the books were stacked and there were a lot of them. Hook grabbed one from the top and opened it to the first page, before slamming the cover back shut again.

“This is going to take forever,” Hook groaned. “How are we supposed to find what we need without reading everything?”

“I don’t think we can,” Emma pointed out, shrugging lightly. She took the next book off the pile and slumped down into the nearest seat.

“If Belle was here, she would probably already know, or at the very least the bookworm could have just inhaled these books and then told us,” Hook grumbled, begrudgingly flicking the book open once more.

“I’m sure if Belle was here, then she would help us,” David agreed soothingly. “But she’s trapped under a sleeping curse and in another realm.”

“Only because the crocodile is selfish and won’t let her go. The poor lass, it’s obvious to everyone that she doesn’t want to be with him. She’ll be trapped forever waiting for true love’s kiss from him, power is his true love,” Hook explained, like he was stating obvious facts.

There was a general murmur of agreement from everyone but Regina. Now she was split from the Evil Queen, in some respects it was easier to think. She wasn’t burdened by the weight of her past misdeeds. Instead she felt empty, hollow, almost as if she were without her heart, her emotions felt so muted. Without a swirling emotional maelstrom, her mind was clearer.

It hadn’t been lost on her that Rumplestiltskin had disappeared through the very same portal that had brought David, Snow, Hook and Zelena to New York from the land of untold stories. He had gone through the portal, leaving the crystal fragment behind. If he cared more for power, than Belle, wouldn’t he have taken the crystal with him? Would he have gone at all? Surely, in that case, the crystal would have been his goal and that had been here, not through the portal.

No, Regina didn’t think that the situation was as clear-cut as Hook suggested.

“Can we just get on with this?” Regina asked impatiently.

For a few minutes the only sounds that could be heard in the diner were the rustling of pages being turned, Hook huffing in frustration and Regina quietly sighing in annoyance. Then the door was pushed open and Dr Jekyll stumbled inside.

“Oh good I’ve found you, you must come quickly,” Jekyll gasped. He waved his arm to beckon them to join him.

“Jekyll, what’s the matter?” David asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

“Oh dear me, I’m afraid it’s Hyde. I’m terribly sorry about him,” Jekyll apologized. He wrung his hands, rubbing them together in agitation. “It seems, he’s serious about Storybrooke being his now.”

*****

Less than ten minutes later and Regina was storming through the corridors of City Hall, towards her office. Jekyll trailing behind her, like an incredibly unsure looking puppy. He was still dressed in his shabby brown overcoat, lighter brown waistcoat and yellow cravat. It was old-fashioned in this land but not altogether out of place.

When the third dark curse had brought the Camelot natives to Storybrooke, it had been like a medieval Renaissance faire had come to town. King Arthur in full armor, riding his horse up Main Street had been a fairly unforgettable sight.

“Can’t you do something about him?” Regina hissed, riding a surge of irritation.

Jekyll shrugged. “I can’t, no more than you could with your worst self. We’re split into separate entities now, I can influence him no longer, not that I ever really could.”

“Well unlike you I ensured that wouldn’t be a problem, I killed the Evil Queen. Now we’re stuck cleaning up your mess,” Regina grumbled.

“I really am terribly sorry,” Jekyll apologized once more.

“Don’t worry about it,” Regina offered, the irritation fled as quickly as it came and once more she just felt empty, she just felt tired.

Separating from the Evil Queen hadn’t been the cure-all she had hoped it would be. Robin was still dead, not just dead but obliterated like he had never been. Hook had been granted a second chance, that was something Robin would never get. It felt almost like she couldn’t grieve, she hadn’t even cried, it was like she had no more tears left to shed.

With a casual wave of her hand Regina opened the door to her office, causing it to crash back against the wall. She strode in like she owned the place, which she did. Hyde was sitting behind the desk, he slowly rose to his feet at their entrance.

“This, is my office,” Regina stated firmly.

Hyde smirked, “Oh really? I distinctly recall saying that this is my town now.”

“I don’t care what kind of deal you made with Gold, you can’t just claim the town,” Regina told him, feeling another stab of irritation this time towards her one-time mentor. This wasn’t just Jekyll’s mess they were cleaning up, it was Gold’s too.

“Why not? Isn’t that what you did?” Hyde asked casually, his lips twitching with amusement.

Regina glared at him, her eyes flashing dangerously. “Get out of my office. Now!”

“And there I was thinking the rumors were true. A little birdie told me you’d split yourself, your majesty,” Hyde said.

He looked perfectly at ease standing beside her desk. It was like they were discussing the weather, not the future of the entire town. He was calm, cold, not a hint of his usual rage. Regina growled, she knew that he was trying to unnerve her but damn him if it wasn’t working. The Evil Queen was her worst self, there wasn’t supposed to be any bad left in her, only the good.

“Hyde please be reasonable,” Jekyll pleaded.

Hyde sighed, “I grow tired of your bleating Jekyll, go find a laboratory somewhere, immerse yourself in one of your experiments, I know you like that.”

Regina lifted her right hand and then hesitated. Was she really going to fight Hyde for possession of her office? It was a room, it was her room but still just a room nonetheless. Besides, her eyes tracked to the spot on the floor where Robin had fallen.

Part of her didn’t even know if she wanted the office back. She didn’t think that she could be in here without reliving that awful moment when Robin stepped in front of her, taking the death that had been meant for her. That foolish, brave, wonderful man. He had deserved so much better.

“You can keep the office,” Regina decided. “But this town is not yours.”

Before Hyde could respond, Regina waved her hand. With a swirl of smoke she teleported both herself and Jekyll back to Granny’s. Those storybooks would not read themselves and Hyde wasn’t worth it. She was better than that now. When Hyde made a move, when he stepped out of line, that would be when she would fight him, when they would all fight him together.

That was what heroes did.

*****

The instant Rumplestiltskin stepped through the doorway he knew something was wrong.

The doorway portal had deposited him at the edge of the city. He knew the legend, that Atlantis had faced destruction from a volcanic eruption, that the crystal of power which he sought had protected and restored the city. The last news anyone had of Atlantis was that the empire was rebuilding.

He had expected to see a bustling city. He had expected to feel the crystal, his magical senses prickling with the power but the air felt lifeless. There was not even a breeze. His tongue flickered out to taste the air, it was good for breathing but it even tasted stale.

Slowly, Rumplestiltskin picked his way through the city outskirts, towards the center. He didn’t encounter anyone. He couldn’t hear anyone, not even the birds in the air. His magical senses confirmed what his eyes and ears told him - nothing was alive down here.

Eyes narrowing he turned and stared at the water. He mentally revised his estimate, the doorway had dropped him at the edge of the city that was on the surface. It appeared much of Atlantis was underwater once more.

He felt sick, his heart pounded in his ears. Atlantis was abandoned and the closer he got to the center, the more devastation could be seen. Many of the buildings had collapsed into ruins, great gaping holes in their walls. The path was uneven and filled with obstacles, where the roof and upper stories had lost their battle and tumbled to the ground.

This was wrong. Atlantis shouldn’t be like this. What had happened?

Every fiber of his being urged him to turn round. Rumplestiltskin could see the heart of the city approaching, he knew that was where the crystal should be and he knew what he would find there - or rather _wouldn’t_ find. He swallowed hard, if he turned round, if he didn’t look, then he wouldn’t know for sure and there would still be hope.

This was his last chance, his last hope, his only hope.

“Do the brave thing and bravery will follow,” Rumplestiltskin whispered to himself hoarsely.

He licked his dry lips and looked down at the box he still held gently in his right hand. He allowed his feet to carry him to the building, the room that was the heart of Atlantis. This building was remarkably well preserved, there was some damage but not much. It was like the pulse of destruction had emanated from this building, damaging everything around it but not harming itself.

Rumplestiltskin stepped through the doorway and then pitched to the ground, falling onto his knees with a cry of despair.

“No, no,” he cried as his eyes confirmed what he had already known.

The crystal was gone.

It should have been hovering in the air, bright white shimmering light, the heart of Atlantis. It should have been illuminating the runes which were still carved onto the stone walls. It should have been pulsing with power, beating like a heart, as it fulfilled it’s function in preserving the city of this lost empire.

That was why Atlantis was abandoned. The crystal which powered this cavern, the lost continent, was gone. Residual magic had preserved the cavern but life was no longer supported. The residents had obviously chosen to leave, both to save their own lives and to save what remained of the city, maybe in the hope that one day it could be restored once more. If they had stayed the residual magic would have faded and everything would have come crashing down.

Crashing down just like his hopes. He’d needed the crystal to wake Belle, it was the only thing left that he thought could work. What hope did he have now? Belle was counting on him. She had told him to do whatever it took to get her back home to her father and ... he hadn’t done that.

Rumplestiltskin collapsed back, not even his knees could support him now. He sat on the cold stone floor and pillowed his head in his hands. Slowly shaking his head in denial. He had promised he would do whatever it took but it turned out there were lines he wasn’t prepared to cross.

Maurice French had asked him to abandon his unborn child. Whatever else he had been in his long life, from the moment he had picked up that mallet and doomed himself as a coward, he had never been the type of man to leave a child fatherless. He just couldn’t walk away from his child.

Despair bubbled up through him, escaping in a great sob. Tears welled in his eyes, he angrily wiped away the first couple that trickled down his cheek. If he was certain that Belle’s father could wake her then he would do it, he would walk away. It would be like crushing his own heart but this wasn’t about him, it was about Belle and their child.

Growing up without a father wouldn’t matter if their child was never born, if Belle remained trapped in the sleeping curse. Was that little nagging voice of doubt, in the back of his mind, the product of his own desire to remain with his family, the only people he had left? Alternately was the voice right?

He hadn’t fought Maurice over his conditions because he didn’t believe the man could give Belle true loves kiss. How could he? Maurice clearly didn’t respect Belle’s choices or love her for who she actually was, as opposed to who he wanted her to be. If Maurice had been any kind of father he wouldn’t have refused for any reason.

True loves kiss wasn’t an option. Belle had no true love, her father wouldn’t do it and his kiss had failed. Rumplestiltskin had always known that he broke everything he touched, he had never understood why Belle loved him and now he had finally succeeded in breaking their love. He loved Belle with everything he had, she just no longer loved him.

Rumplestiltskin looked at Pandora’s box. With a shaking hand he raised the box to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the lid.

“I’m so sorry Belle,” he whispered brokenly. “I’ve failed you, there’s nothing left.”

He reverently kissed the top of the box again before his arm dropped, cradling the box next to his heart.

“There’s nothing left,” he choked as another sob was ripped from his throat.

He gave up the fight and surrendered, nothing could stop the oncoming tide of pure grief. In the ruins of Atlantis he howled his misery, content that no-one would witness his moment of weakness. No-one would witness his utter despair.

The death of his last hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some lines from the Hades flashback were taken from the book as shown on screen. You probably all hate me now for that last scene with Rumple, but I do promise to fix it :)


	3. Chapter 3

“I went out last night, dah, dah,” Violet sang along with the radio playing softly in her room, humming along when she didn’t know the words, which was the case for most of them.

The music was so different here from Camelot. She bopped along, dancing unconsciously as she brushed her hair out. She looked at herself in the mirror, trying to decide whether to leave her hair down or tie it up. She was going to meet Henry at Granny’s for hot chocolate in ten minutes.

Henry wouldn’t care how she wore her hair, but she wasn’t doing it for him. Back in Camelot with her mother dead, there had been no-one to help her with those sorts of things. In this land she had other options. There was something called a salon which helped with styling, and so many more hairstyles to choose from. It was a revelation, just like music.

Violet nodded to herself and grabbed one of her new hairbands. That was simple and comfortable and that’s what she felt like today. A few minutes later and she was clattering down the stairs. She pulled her jacket down from the hook in the hall and poked her head round the living room door.

“Dad, I’m going to meet Henry at Granny’s,” Violet told him.

She frowned, her dad wasn’t alone. She obviously hadn’t heard the doorbell while she was in her room. He had guests, two young men and a teenager, not much older than her. Violet shot them a curious look, she didn’t think her dad knew anyone in town now that the rest of the Camelot natives had returned home.

“Ok sweetheart,” Morgan replied quickly, his eyes flickered over to her in the doorway, before returning to his guests. “Do you have enough money?”

Before Morgan had finished asking the question, his hand had reached into his pocket for his wallet. He withdrew a few crumpled bills and swiftly handed them to Violet.

“Have a good time.” Morgan smiled tightly.

“Thanks dad,” Violet said automatically.

She stepped back and her dad pushed the living room door closed, not quite slamming it in her face but close to it. Her frown deepened as she moved towards the front door. She threw a curious look back over her shoulder to the now closed living room door.

What had that been about? Violet shrugged. Her dad had been a knight in Arthur’s court, it could have been many things and it was none of her business. She shook her head, banishing the thoughts from her mind as she swiftly walked down the sidewalk, heading towards Granny’s.

With the unexpected cash from her dad, perhaps they would go to the icecream store after Granny’s. Icecream was wonderfully strange and there were so many flavors to choose from. She had to try them all before she could be sure which was her favorite.

Violet started humming again. Soon she caught sight of Henry walking towards her, coming to Granny’s from the other direction. She waved happily at him and all thoughts of her dad’s unknown visitors faded from her mind.

*****

Regina’s extensive vault, hidden beneath her father’s crypt, still contained several dark dangerous objects. The vault’s security had been breached more than once in the time since the breaking of the first dark curse, and the introduction of magic to Storybrooke. Each time Regina had renewed the protection spells and attempted to enhance them.

However, none of the protection spells were designed to keep her out. It was her vault, all the protections were keyed to her. Therefore there was nothing to stop the Evil Queen from teleporting directly inside. No alarms were triggered, no spells were tripped, as far as the vault was concerned the visitor was Regina.

The Evil Queen’s lip curled when the smoke cleared. She didn’t want to give that dimwitted shepherd, the pretend Prince James, any credit but he had been right about one thing. _‘We are both’_ he had claimed once, in respect to their cursed personas and their true selves. She had never had a cursed identity but in many ways her current situation was similar.

The curse had given the town’s residents new names, to go with their cursed identities. She had always just been Regina. Now, Regina was split from her, and she was just the Evil Queen, but that wasn’t much of a name. It was a title, proof of where the true power lay. That pathetic fool Jekyll, had Hyde. She had nothing.

It was of little importance, especially considering her plans. The Evil Queen was what she was, and who she was, it was inescapable.

She looked around the vault, moving from room to room, looking for something she could use. She knew the contents of the vault as well as her _‘better’_ self but it never hurt to be reminded, when considering items, in light of a new plan.

They would pay, they would all pay.

*****

When Rumplestiltskin’s breakdown had finally ended, he just felt numb. He didn’t know what to do, there seemed to be no more options left. The only slim possibility remaining was returning Belle to her father and then leaving her and their child for good. It seemed that whatever Maurice thought of him, he at least recognized that Rumplestiltskin wouldn’t break a deal once made. He’d only done that once in his life and it had turned out so badly, he had lost his precious Baelfire, he would never break a deal ever again.

However, he couldn’t shake the fear that if he did as Maurice asked, and left Belle, that her father would fail to wake her. Then what would become of Belle and their child? As hopeless as he felt, he just wasn’t ready to do that yet. Not least because he wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

Rumplestiltskin shakily pulled himself up from the cold stone floor, of what had once been the room housing the heart of Atlantis. The first big question to answer was where did he go from here? He wasn’t ready to return to Storybrooke, he would only do that if he decided there was no choice but to comply with Maurice’s demands. There was nothing else there that would help him, and he knew he wouldn’t be welcome.

For a moment he thought about returning to the Dark Castle. His lip trembled, as he choked back fresh tears. No, he couldn’t bear that, that would be like truly admitting it was over. He snorted to himself, with the apprentices wand he could go anywhere, all realms were open to him but there was nowhere for him to go. There was nowhere he wanted to go.

“Oh Belle,” Rumplestiltskin muttered, glancing down at the box, with a fond if slightly pained expression. “You always wanted to see the world, where would you go?”

The box couldn’t answer him, and conjuring up an image of Belle in his mind’s eye was tricky. He wanted to imagine her happy, enthusiastic, talking a mile a minute about everywhere she wanted to go and what she wanted to see. However, all he could picture was her sad defiant expression as she pricked her finger on the needle, dooming herself to eternal slumber.

That was not a happy memory. He felt like her eyes were judging him, finding him wanting, there was so much hurt and pain and anger in her eyes. He knew that he had let her down, he knew that he had lost her trust, but he hadn’t realized until that moment quite how little faith she had left in him.

Belle had always believed in him, she had made him stronger. Henry might have been the truest believer as decreed by magic but Belle believed just as strongly. That fateful day, in the back of the underworld version of his shop, she had still believed, she just no longer believed in him. There had been some belief, just not enough. If she had still truly believed in him, then she would have worked with him, and not made the decision to go under the sleeping curse alone.

He didn’t blame Belle for that, he didn’t blame Belle for anything. That was his fault, he was the one who had lied to her throughout their short marriage because he believed he could fix it later. He was the one that had broken her trust. It was his fault, it was always his fault.

Rumplestiltskin sighed and waved the wand, the ornate doorway shimmered into existence with a thud. For lack of a better idea he decided to return to the land of untold stories. Belle would have liked exploring such a land, so different from their own and from Storybrooke.

The door swung open and he stepped through. He appeared in a side alley, very similar if not the same one, that the wish portal had formed within. The door slammed shut behind him and the doorway disappeared. He took a deep breath, it had rained here recently, he could smell the damp in the air and the cobblestones were slick beneath his feet.

He pondered his options, he could return to Hyde’s former mansion turned asylum, the man certainly wasn’t using it right now. However, the word asylum was like a bitter pill on his tongue, forever associated with the twenty-eight years Belle had endured beneath Storybrooke General. He could rent a room, money was no object for a man that could spin straw into gold but that would mean dealing with somebody and he just couldn’t face it.

Instead he started walking. He soon hit the marketplace, he weaved through the crowd barely breaking stride. In this land, the fashions were so many and varied, that nobody blinked at his attire. The full three-piece suit, his Storybrooke amour as perfected by Mr Gold, and the dark matching overcoat with silk lapels. He hadn’t changed since New York saw no reason to do so now.

Soon he spotted what he was looking for, a sign indicating a vacant house for rent. With a wave of his hand and a swirl of smoke, he was inside. The house came furnished and it would more than suit his needs. A simple spell ensured that he wouldn’t be bothered by the homeowner or anyone else.

He felt a pang of conscience, Belle wouldn’t approve. He appeased his conscience by promising to leave the house how he found it, along with enough spun gold to pay whatever the rental fee would have been. Feeling better he walked up the stairs and found the master bedroom.

Holding Pandora’s box in both hands, he focused and the red strands of magic appeared. A moment later Belle was laying on the bed, her eyes closed and her chest still, to all appearances dead. He choked and desperately cast his eye around the room. There was a wooden chair in the corner, he dragged it over so that he could sit next to her.

Rumplestiltskin reached for Belle’s hand but he stopped short, his hand hovering in the air just a few inches from her own. He couldn’t do it. He ached to hold her in his arms, or to just hold her hand, but what right did he have to touch her when he had failed her so badly. He focused and magic swept through the room, soundproofing it completely. His words were meant for Belle alone.

“The last time I watched you sleep when you were actually sleeping, was the night we conceived our child. The time before that was in the shop. I’d put you to sleep, so you wouldn’t suffer the Snow Queen’s curse,” Rumplestiltskin’s voice cracked. “I wish I could go back Belle, I’ve made so many mistakes.”

He more than anyone knew that hindsight was 20/20. He had always done what he thought best at the time, it was easy to look back and see the mistakes, the errors in judgment, because he now knew what the result had been. Idly he wondered how he would view current events and whether he was in the middle of making another huge mistake.

His ability to see the future had been lost with his ‘death’ and subsequent resurrection after defeating his father. It had never been as helpful as he had once hoped, the puzzle pieces rarely made sense until the time anyway.

“You were right you know, you were right from our second fight in Storybrooke. I needed the courage to let you in, nothing more. Oh Belle I wish I had,” he sniffed and took a shuddering breath. She couldn’t hear him but he needed to say it. “I wish I’d had the courage to talk to you while you were awake. Now it’s too late, it’s always too late.”

Rumplestiltskin’s shoulders shook as he failed to hold back the tears any longer. He thought that he had finished crying in Atlantis, but he just couldn’t stop. It was all too much. This was his tipping point, as all of the events of the past couple of years finally hit home. It was the first time he’d really let his emotions go.

In the wake of his freedom from being Zelena’s slave, proposing to Belle and then marrying her, he’d never really stopped to grieve for his son. He hadn’t wanted to, part of him had clung to denial. If he pretended everything was normal, if he pretended like nothing had happened, then he wouldn’t have to accept the reality that he was gone.

“I can’t lose you too, I just can’t,” Rumplestiltskin whispered brokenly.

Unbidden the memory of the town line came to him, with Belle saying _‘You already have’_ and another sob ripped from his throat.

“My power has never been more important to me than you, it’s my weakness and you have always been my strength. When I told you about the gauntlet, I said it usually showed what a person loved most, keyword being _usually_. You must have missed that and I never really had a chance to explain. I am so _sorry_ Belle,” he told her, once he managed to regain control of himself and his tattered emotions.

“I meant what I said that day about this being who I am. You fell in love with me as the dark one, and the man behind the beast always craved power and I’m not sure I ever really told you why,” Rumplestiltskin started, his voice felt distant and disconnected from him, the words flowing more freely now, like a dam had been unblocked.

“I’d always been weak, unable to protect those that I loved. Now, after so many years being the dark one, I’ve so many enemies. Without power, I’d be vulnerable, you and our child would never be safe. I’ve failed to protect you with my power, without it ...” he trailed off.

He wasn’t sure how to explain the desperation he’d felt that night. His palm bore the mark, he was going to be dragged to the underworld, they were all going to be dragged to the underworld. All his knowledge, all his tricks, the magical objects he’d hoarded over the years, none of it was enough.

“You were gone, you told me you had to protect your heart. I’d given you safe passage out of town, you were finally free to see the world how you always wanted. I never thought you would return, and even if you did come back to Storybrooke, I never dreamed you would return to me,” Rumplestiltskin continued and then he shook his head.

“I’m messing this up. Not that it matters, since you can’t hear me,” he muttered bitterly. “I had to do it, not just for me, but for Henry. The boy hates me but he’s still my grandson, he’s Baelfire’s son ...” he paused once more, and conjured a glass of water.

If Belle was here she would be asking questions and then maybe his thoughts would be more in order. However, if she was here then she would be looking at him. He couldn’t decide if her eyes would be filled with compassion, as they used to be, or the judgment and thinly veiled disgust of late. If she was here then they wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Too late he realized what he was doing. He had chosen to return to the land of untold stories, rather than Storybrooke, because he wasn’t ready to say goodbye. There was too much left unsaid. This, right now, was the start of saying goodbye, of finally being ready to let her go.

“Did you know I was the dark one longer than anyone else? By that I don’t mean longer than any other dark one, I mean longer than all the other dark ones combined. I was the dark one for over two centuries and I never came close to what the pirate did in two days. That has to mean something?” Rumplestiltskin pleaded.

He laughed hoarsely. What had become of them? Belle was sleeping, trapped under a curse with their child, who might never even be born if he didn’t fix things. He was there pleading with her to understand when she couldn’t even hear him.

True love was the most powerful of all magic, the only magic to transcend realms and that could break any curse. It had never been meant for the likes of him.

“Belle,” he whispered, ghosting his hand along the side of her face, close but not touching. “Why did you come back?”

*****

The next morning, the Charming loft hadn’t exactly ever been an oasis of peace and tranquility but since the arrival of baby Neal, it could better be described as chaotic bedlam. Regina could hear the baby screaming on her way up the stairs to the door, when Emma opened it she had to resist clutching her ears.

Emma noticed her wince. “Tell me about it. I’m so glad I moved out.”

“I just left this at home, it seems there’s no escape,” Regina joked. Emma laughed but Regina wondered if her words sounded as hollow as they felt.

“How are baby Robyn and Zelena?” David asked politely, as Regina stepped into the apartment.

“Sticking close to home given the uncertainty of the new arrivals,” Regina said. She rolled her eyes. “Zelena is _not_ happy about it.”

Not happy was something of an understatement, her sister was absolutely chafing at the restriction. Privately Regina wondered if Zelena truly understood what she was signing up for in being a mother. She certainly hadn’t when she’d adopted Henry. It had started as a selfish act, she had a hole in her heart and the unconditional love of a child helped fill it. Zelena had said more than once that her daughter would love her, and Regina sympathized, she knew how that felt.

However, the child shouldn’t just exist for what it could give. When she decided to keep Henry, she had loved him so fiercely, the sort of love that she thought she was incapable of even if she didn’t show it very well. From that day it had been about what she could give Henry, not what he could give her.

For Zelena’s sake, Regina hoped that she had that revelation soon. Otherwise the reality, of the amount of work required to raise a child, would hit home. What would become of the child then? She was Robin’s daughter and Regina would fight for her if necessary. Zelena was where she had been after the breaking of the first dark curse. Redemption was a long road and Regina hoped that her sister would be up to the task.

She hoped, that the sweet young girl Zelena had been, who just wanted to help people, the girl that she now remembered from her returned childhood memories, could come back. That it wasn’t too late. Secretly, the thought that Regina didn’t even want to acknowledge whispered at the back of her mind.

What about that young girl, who desperately didn’t want to become her mother, who didn’t want to hurt anyone, who had loved horses and once rescued a frightened young girl she didn’t even know? Could she come back? _‘That woman lost much and now she’s gone’._

Regina had split from the Evil Queen, but if she took that part of her past away, what was left? Was there anything left underneath the anger, the pain and the grief? Imperceptibly Regina shook her head, clearing her thoughts. Now wasn’t the time for soul searching or regrets. What was done, was done.

“Time for a plan of action, what we going to do about Hyde and his friends?” Emma started the discussion.

“What we need is for them not to be here, but the damn crocodile kept the wand. We’re all stuck here,” Hook complained.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Henry said slowly, obviously turning an idea over in his mind.

“What are you thinking kid?” Emma asked him.

“I saw the apprentice briefly in the underworld. If he had the wand, maybe he had something else. We should check his house, maybe he left something,” Henry suggested.

Regina gave him a warm smile. She was so proud of him, he was growing up so fast. He’d been trouble ever since he saw through her denial and believed in the curse. Henry had refused to be left behind when they went to Camelot for Emma, or the underworld for Hook. He had pointed out quite strongly that with or without their approval and support he would find a way. With that in mind it was safer to take him with them, where they could keep an eye on him.

Although that had not always been true in the underworld. She had been under the false impression that Henry was with Emma, or Snow and David, and instead he’d been with Cruella. It made her heart skip a beat in panic when she thought of what could have happened to him. Hearing him mention meeting the apprentice made her want to scowl at the memory. However, she was _better_ now, so she chose to focus on the positive instead.

Snow bounced the still crying baby Neal in her arms. “I’ll stay here with this little one.” She dropped a kiss onto his little forehead. “Yes mommy will stay with you, yes I will,” she cooed.

Emma pulled her jacket on. “Then, let’s go.”

*****

Half an hour later and they were tearing the apprentices house apart. It hadn’t been touched since his death a few months earlier. Nobody had attempted to claim this house. The surfaces were covered in a thin layer of dust, there was still a dirty cereal bowl in the sink. Regina wrinkled her nose at the smell and vanished it with a twitch of her fingers.

“This feels strange,” David admitted, as he took books off the shelf and leafed through them.

“It’s not so bad. I could tell you stories about some weird stuff I found in a couple of bail jumpers houses,” Emma said, giving a low whistle for emphasis.

Regina cast her eye around the small house. Hook was searching haphazardly, throwing things in various different directions. Emma was being methodical, she was the only one among them who had done this before. Henry was looking through the small desk in the corner but Regina doubted they would find anything in the open.

The apprentice had worked for Merlin, but he had magic of his own. She knew people of magic, they hid whatever was truly important. On the side of the room there was a door, on first look it appeared like a cupboard door, likely to a small pantry. However, when she got closer she could feel cooler air. Regina opened the door.

“Basement,” she pointed out. She smirked at Emma. “Your hiding place of choice wasn’t it?”

“Let’s take a look,” Emma agreed.

Emma pushed forward and clicked on her flashlight, she went down the narrow stone steps. The basement was just a regular basement, nothing like the cave area her basement led into. However, just like her basement, in central view was a magical object they all recognized.

“I remember that from the movie,” Henry said, peering down from the top of the stairs. “That’s the cauldron he used to communicate with Merlin. Merlin sort of appeared in smoke.”

“Yeah I remember,” Emma muttered. She blinked, as the memory of the first time she saw the Disney movie about King Arthur came to mind. “You know, did I ever tell you I saw Merlin when I was a kid?”

“How did that happen?” Regina asked.

Merlin had been imprisoned inside a tree for five hundred years, in the Enchanted Forest. How could he possibly have been in the land without magic when Emma was a child? Regina sighed, the cauldron was a nice find but it didn’t exactly help them. Merlin was dead, beyond any form of magical communication. Unless there were more spells set up to operate like his answer machine, as there had been for when they used the crimson crown.

“Perhaps we’ll find out,” Hook said, appearing at the top of the basement stairs.

He brandished a video tape in his good hand, that was marked simply - ‘For Emma’.


	4. Chapter 4

When Belle jabbed the needle into her finger, she had expected that the next time she was consciously aware, would be when her father woke her. She hadn’t done any research into sleeping curses, there had always been something more pressing, and she already knew the most important fact. While she was under the curse, her body was effectively in suspended animation - Hades would not be able to take her baby.

That was all she cared about, protecting her child. Finding herself in a room full of mirrors hadn’t been what she expected. This didn’t feel like a dream, it felt like she was really here, wherever here was.

Belle swallowed hard and placed a hand protectively on her stomach. The baby was nothing more than a collection of cells right now but she loved it fiercely already. The nearest mirror flashed, and Belle took a wary step back, but it was too late.

The mirror’s shiny surface rippled, swirling until the reflective surface became a screen, showing a scene from just a few days earlier. It was the underworld library and Rumplestiltskin filled the screen.

_“It happened, Belle,” Rumplestiltskin told her gently._

_“I’m .. I’m pregnant,” Belle sniffed. “We’re .. we’re going to have a baby? A .. a baby that you’ve already sold!”_

“No!” Belle screamed and the image in the mirror blinked out. She gasped and looked at all the mirrors in horror. What was this place?

Belle staggered back. She swiftly dropped to the ground carefully, scooting back until she felt a mirror at her back. That mirror swirled into life, the color blinking into view out of the corner of her eye. She twisted and jerked away but the image formed anyway. This time it was of a familiar cell, one where she had spent twenty-eight years.

“No, no, no,” Belle muttered in fear.

She clenched her eyes shut, the only sound that could be heard was of her labored breathing. She focused on it, trying to breathe deeply in, and out, to stop the rising panic. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, this wasn’t supposed to be what happened.

She really hadn’t thought this one through.

Another mirror activated, Belle’s eyes were closed so she couldn’t see the scene play out but she could hear it.

_“Neal, wait!” Belle shouted._

_Neal screamed in agony._

_“Rumple?” Belle whispered._

“Stop it please, stop it,” Belle begged.

She didn’t want to think of that fateful day. They might have succeeded in bringing Rumplestiltskin back to life, but the cost was far more than any of them wanted to pay. Neal had died, so that his father could live, and she could never forgive herself for her part in that. She hadn’t known what would happen but she should have, she should have asked more questions.

Rumplestiltskin had repeated time and time again, that _‘all magic came with a price’_ , and the more powerful the magic, the greater the cost. She had known that, but she had been so desperate, and Neal had been equally as desperate, that neither of them had thought it through. It had cost Neal his life.

“What have I done?” Belle muttered.

Suddenly the room shuddered, like a shockwave passed through it. Warily Belle opened first one eye, and then the other. She sat up from her prone position on the floor. The mirrors were dark, reflecting just her pale image. She bit her lip while she thought furiously. Something had clearly happened. She didn’t know why, but she was almost certain that the cause was external, something happened to her body outside.

Maybe it was a good thing, maybe her body had passed through a portal, leaving the underworld and returning to Storybrooke and her father. Hopefully she would be woken up any moment now. She had no way of knowing how much time had passed, it felt like it had been hours, not long enough for Rumplestiltskin to have dealt with Hades.

Although, maybe she shouldn’t underestimate her husband. He was sufficiently motivated, and with her trapped under the sleeping curse, she wouldn’t be able to stop him from doing whatever he pleased. He could be doing anything, using all manner of dark magic. She had told him to do whatever it took to deal with Hades, and get her back to her father, and that was a rather stupid thing to say to a man who had no limits on the lines he would cross.

Another mirror swirled, bouncing light around the small room. Belle looked at the mirror in trepidation. The images the mirrors were displaying, seemed to be related to her thoughts, even though she wasn’t thinking about those particular memories consciously.

_“You really believe in him, don’t you?” Neal half asked, half stated, looking at her in wonder._

_“I love him, all of him, even the parts that belong to the darkness,” Belle told him._

The mirror swirled again and the picture disappeared. Belle shook her head, she had been so naive back then. Hearing those words, she could scarcely believe she had ever said them, because it wasn’t true and it had surely never been true. She had loved the man behind the beast, she had thought that there was still good in him. She’d been wrong.

Another mirror came to life and the underworld library appeared again.

_“Belle, there’s something you must realize,” Rumplestiltskin sighed. “Falling in love with the man behind the beast .. isn’t really what happened to you. You fell in love with me .. because there was a man and a beast. Neither exists without the other.”_

_“No. No,” Belle shook her head. I .. I can’t condone you being like this. Not again.”_

The mirror went blank. Belle frowned, why had the mirror chosen to show her that? That particular image was more of a comfort than any of the others. She had been right in what she said, just as she had been right the night of the town line. She had been blind and finally she had seen the truth.

Nervously her eyes flicked from one mirror to another, but thankfully none of them flashed to life. She let out a sigh of relief, the incident at the town line was a painful memory, and one she wasn’t keen to watch again.

“Last time ... wouldn’t suffer .. go back .. many mistakes,” Rumplestiltskin said.

Belle looked round, none of the mirrors were activated. Gingerly she rose to her feet and peered round, to see if there were more mirrors, but this small room appeared to be it thankfully.

“You were right .. the courage to talk to you ... always too late ...”

“Rumple?” Belle whispered, casting her gaze up to the dark ceiling. “You’re talking to me aren’t you?”

Rumplestiltskin’s words were coming through like a badly tuned radio. However, she could hear him and what he was saying, was not what she had ever expected to hear. A mirror flashed to life, showing her husband on his knees, his expression panicked.

_“I just wanted you. I wanted to be chosen, not .. I tried to be everything for you, Rumple. But I wasn’t and I .. I lost my way trying to help you find yourself. Not anymore.”_

“I just wanted to be chosen,” Belle repeated, hugging her arms to herself.

That was all she had ever wanted, for Rumplestiltskin to talk to her, to let her in, to be honest. However, that had been too much for him and she should have expected that. He had never let her in, not really. Oh, sometimes he had talked to her, to win her back after she had confronted him about his secrets. He had only ever told her the smallest amount necessary and she had fallen for it.

“My power .. it’s my weakness .. the gauntlet .. chance to explain,” Rumplestiltskin’s broken words came through.

Belle frowned, that couldn’t be what it sounded like. The words were so broken up, that the meaning was surely lost, except they rang true in a way her gut was trying to deny. She felt sick, as guilt and shame started to creep over her. She shook her head in denial and a mirror swirled, forming a picture of the dark castle.

_“Look, if you must know, it’s about manipulation. And for that, you must find one’s weakness. And for almost everyone, that weakness is the thing they love most. This will simply point me in the right direction,” Rumplestiltskin explained._

The mirror went dark. Belle’s hand flew to her mouth and she choked, _‘almost everyone’_ and that made such sick sense, she couldn’t believe she had missed it. The dagger controlled Rumplestiltskin, it took away his free will, it was his greatest weakness but ... another mirror swirled and she saw Rumplestiltskin next to Pan in the middle of Main Street.

_“I love you Bae and I love you, Belle, you made me stronger,” Rumplestiltskin stated reverently._

“The man ... craved power .. told you why ... weak .. I loved .. so many enemies ... you and our child .. failed to protect ...”

Belle closed her eyes again but the words kept coming, broken though they were, she could hear the emotion in them, she could hear the pain. Finally, Rumplestiltskin was being honest with her. What had become of them? Why did they have to wait until now to be truly honest with one another?

“You were gone .. your heart .. see the world .. would return .. never .. to me .. had to do it .. Henry .. Baelfire’s son .. dark one .. longer .. two centuries .. never .. what the pirate .. mean something ..”

Finally the words stopped and Belle collapsed onto the floor in great wracking sobs. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she howled in misery.

It wasn’t supposed to have been like this.

*****

Rumplestiltskin had managed a poor night’s sleep, not that it mattered, he didn’t require sleep as the dark one. When he had been with Belle, he had always made an effort to sleep because it made him feel more human and less like a beast.

It also had the added benefit of blotting out reality for a short time, at least when he wasn’t plagued by nightmares. That was why he had always preferred spinning for clearing his mind into blissful blankness, so he could forget just for a moment. However, he hadn’t really done any spinning since his captivity had ended. He had spun for Hades, he would spin for any gold he required, but he couldn’t spin for himself, not anymore.

“Good morning Belle,” Rumplestiltskin said softly, entering the master bedroom of the rented house.

He couldn’t leave her alone, not like this, she would be defenseless. He reached for Pandora’s box once more and the red tendrils of magic spun from the box. A moment later Belle was no longer laying on the bed, she was safe in the box and he would take her with him.

Nothing would be accomplished by staying in this house. _‘Feed the madness and it feeds on you’_. If he didn’t have something to distract him, something to prompt his mind, make his thoughts spin in a different direction, then he felt he would go mad.

Rumplestiltskin had been to the land of untold stories before. He hadn’t been called here by a desperate soul. Although he had done some deals while he had been here, most notably with Hyde. No, the land of untold stories had been a fools hope for him once before, back when he was looking for ways other than the dark curse to get to the land without magic.

He had heard tales of transports, great airships, which could transport people to far off realms. Some of the transports had looked quite promising. That was how he had first seen the land that would eventually birth Cruella De Vil. It looked so similar to the land without magic, one could almost be fooled, but it had been nothing but another disappointment in a long line of them. The dark curse had been the only way he had found that actually worked.

The marketplace was bustling even at this early hour. Everyone moving from place to place, nobody looking twice at him and he wasn’t even cloaked with magic. He had been the dark one for over two centuries. However, right here, right now, he didn’t think he had ever felt more alone. Belle had taught him the difference between being alone and being lonely.

He had come to rely on Belle, she was his strength. For all that he had kept many secrets from her, a mistake born of old habits and insecurities, he had cherished her support. After the apprentice had sucked the darkness out of him, he had wanted to give up, just let himself fade away. He held no illusions about what came next. He was bound for the underworld, or someplace much worse, he would never get to see Baelfire again because his son had been destined for the best place imaginable.

However, he had heard Belle’s voice. He had learned later that Belle actually hadn’t been there for most of the time, she had been in Camelot, but he had felt like she was with him. It had been for Belle that he had refused to let go, because if she still saw something in him, then maybe he did deserve to drew breath just a little longer.

When he had woken, he had expected to see Belle. Instead, Emma had been standing over him and it was immediately obvious that she had given into the darkness. Fear had coursed through him, it was hard to breathe because he was powerless. He had immediately felt that vulnerability and it terrified him, he didn’t want to be the town coward, the spinner who had to kiss the boots of stronger men ever again.

He had begged Emma to let him go, all he had wanted then was to see Belle. The shame had burned, women didn’t like to be married to cowards but he had needed her strength and her support. Now, he was without it and he had nobody else. There was no-one in his corner, no-one he could talk to, nobody who’s support he could count on. He had grown accustomed to having Belle’s support, so being without it made him feel more alone than ever.

Suddenly the sound of a bell ringing cut through the air. Rumplestiltskin looked around and soon spotted the church spire where the sound originated. It was one of the highest points of the city, and it would give him a good panorama of this land. With a wave of his hand, he teleported in a cloud of smoke up to the top of the church spire.

The wind was stronger here, tugging at his clothes and his hair. He took in a deep breath, the smoke from the various buildings and airships tainted the air. However, the nearby ocean breeze added a salty tang which reminded him of nothing good.

A few minutes later he heard the labored breathing of somebody coming up the stairs to the top of the spire. He twisted and looked at the man who emerged. He was dressed in a green tunic, with reddish brown hair and was fairly obviously the titular character of the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Soon after Emma had woken him from the dark curse, out of interest he had investigated what the land without magic knew of them. Part of it had been boredom, he had done what he could to hurry the process along, but Emma had still taken her sweet time to believe and break the curse.

When Quasimodo caught sight of him, he blinked in surprise and shuffled his feet nervously. “I’ve not seen anyone up here before,” he ventured.

“Relax,” Rumplestiltskin drawled. “I’m just taking in the view.”

“You’re .. you’re not afraid of me?” Quasimodo asked hesitantly.

Rumplestiltskin stifled a grimace, feeling an unexpected pang of sympathy. Nobody knew better than him what it was like to be judged on appearance. As the town coward, he had his limp, courtesy of having shattered his own leg. His weakness had been mocked for people’s amusement. Then, as the dark one, his appearance had been reviled. He was the demon to be feared, the scourge of the realms. Nobody ever wanted to see him unless they wanted something.

“Don’t let my appearance fool you. I’m the dark one dearie,” Rumplestiltskin told him.

The land without magic had removed all the physical transformations of the old world. Even after the introduction of magic, the physical changes had not returned. The land of untold stories had not changed him back either.

If he was to go back to the Enchanted Forest, then his curse might experience a resurgence, transforming him physically back into the trickster imp he had been. However, the darkness was different now, he was different now, so it might not happen.

“The dealmaker,” Quasimodo muttered. “I don’t wish for a deal.”

“I’m not offering one,” Rumplestiltskin shot back.

Quasimodo perched on the edge of the spire, his back to the view, looking at Rumplestiltskin curiously. The appraisal made Rumplestiltskin a little uncomfortable, but this was the first conversation he had with anyone since making the deal with Hyde.

Had that only been yesterday? It was refreshing to talk with someone who stated that they didn’t want a deal, although in his experience while people might say that, everyone wanted something in the end.

“You must get that a lot, I’m sorry,” Quasimodo said. “People look at you and see a deal, people look at me and see a monster ...”

“The only monster here is me,” Rumplestiltskin interrupted sharply. “Don’t ever let anyone suggest you are less than what you are. My wife ...”

He trailed off, the pain in his chest was like a knife to the heart. For a moment he feared that the darkness had taken hold once more. The apprentice had scrubbed his heart clean but he was the dark one again, he held the power of every dark one that there had ever been. It had taken two centuries for the darkness to overpower him last time, with the increased power he might not have that long.

With a casual flick of his fingers, he froze Quasimodo in place, so that the man wouldn’t see what was happening. Then, with a wince, he reached into his own chest and pulled out his heart. Rumplestiltskin frowned, the heart was red, with just a few tiny black spots. It wasn’t the unnatural white it had been, and it wasn’t the lump of charcoal he had expected.

The removal of his heart made his emotions more distant. The emotional maelstrom of Belle and their child was dimmed. It hadn’t been the darkness that had caused his heart to hurt, it had been thinking of Belle. He had called her ‘his wife’ but truthfully he wasn’t sure he had the right to do that anymore.

Belle had banished him over the town line and one night of reconciliation, couldn’t fix that. He had told her that if she banished him, that he couldn’t come back. The fact that he had, made it back to Storybrooke, didn’t erase her decision. The fact that she had returned, and they had spent a few glorious hours together, didn’t erase that she had told him she had to protect her heart, that she didn’t know if she wanted to make it work.

Rumplestiltskin thrust his heart back into his chest. Pain lanced through him but he welcomed it, he welcomed the feelings. Love had the capacity to hurt like nothing else. If he tried to deny his feelings, that would be like trying to deny Belle and their child and he couldn’t do that. He loved them and he would always love them.

Another flick of his fingers and Quasimodo was unfrozen, unaware that any time had passed, or that anything had happened.

“You have a wife?” Quasimodo asked.

“It’s complicated,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. “She never cared about outward appearances, just who someone was on the inside. That’s why she loved me once.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Quasimodo offered mournfully.

“Oh she’s not dead, she’s just .. lost,” Rumplestiltskin corrected.

The words caught in his mouth, the irony not lost on him, that he had once said exactly the same about Baelfire. Belle wasn’t lost, he knew exactly where she was, he knew what she needed, he just couldn’t help her. True love had to be reciprocal and she no longer loved him. That made her lost in a way, lost to him, lost to them all unless he could find another way. It was a simplistic explanation but one that worked.

“Perhaps I could help you find her. Phoebus and Esmeralda would be pleased to help,” Quasimodo suggested hopefully.

“She’s not lost in a way that can be found,” Rumplestiltskin sighed. His quick mind thought back over their conversation, he needed to change the subject. “You thought I would be afraid of you. I thought that you were considered something of a hero these days?”

Quasimodo laughed hollowly and bobbed his head. “Among some yes but this realm is full of strangers passing through. For those that do not know me, I will always be a beast.”

“Prejudice,” Rumplestiltskin snorted.

He knew it well. At one point he had succeeded in fooling everyone, including himself, that it didn’t hurt. When Belle had brought light into his life, his defenses had crumbled and it did hurt. A lot of the prejudice against him was deserved, he had done terrible things in his life. However, there were lines he had never crossed.

Unbidden an image of Henry stepping in front of his girlfriend, to protect her from him, crossed his mind. Henry was his grandson, he had never done anything that would have hurt him. He never would do anything that would hurt him. That his own grandson could look at him with such hatred, that cut deeper than any wound.

“So long as we have those that see beyond appearance, as you said, then what strangers think does not matter. There will always be those who judge us unfairly. We can’t control what they think, we can only control what we do,” Quasimodo said.

“Now, who told you that?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

It was obvious that Quasimodo was quoting from someone, but it was a nice sentiment. However, while Quasimodo might have friends and family, he didn’t, not anymore. Bae was dead, Belle was lost to him, their child might never be born and Henry hated him. There was no-one else. He had always had a certain fondness for Regina, but she wanted the Charming’s acceptance so desperately these days that he couldn’t count on her either.

Independent thought was in short supply. That wasn’t something he lacked, even though sometimes he wondered if it would make life easier. No, what he lacked most was hope.

*****

The apprentice had a television and a VCR, so it was a matter of minutes before the tape Hook found was playing. Regina kept one eye on the screen and one eye on Emma. Emma looked very uncomfortable and it didn’t take a genius to work out why, she was worried what might be on the tape, what fresh horror were they not yet aware about?

The beginning of the tape was blank and the screen blank. Regina was just thinking that this tape was useless when an image popped onto the screen. It was of this very room. A second later, the apprentice appeared in the frame. He took a seat and stared directly at the camera.

“You have questions,” the apprentice began.

“I’ll say,” Hook muttered.

“Shush,” Henry said, shooting him a mild glare, which the pirate returned with a devilish grin. Regina rolled her eyes, some things never changed.

“Merlin was imprisoned in that tree, in Camelot, for five hundred years. I cast a spell, so I could communicate with him. He appeared in smoke, above the cauldron currently stored in the basement of this house. In this manner he gave me many instructions,” the apprentice explained.

The apprentice sighed and scratched his beard. “Merlin could see the future. He instructed me to set up a cave, it was magic beyond what I thought I was capable, but I did as ordered and time was paused. It continued to pass, yes, but ever so slowly. I emerged from that cave only when Merlin told me, so that I could help events along, according to his prophecies.”

“That explains why the apprentice survived all those years,” David pointed out.

“I don’t really like the thought of the sorcerer manipulating events for five hundred years,” Regina admitted.

Hook snorted. “The crocodile did just that for two hundred, and you were one of his favorite puppets.”

Regina shot him a poisonous glare, but Hook was saved by the apprentice speaking again on the tape, drawing their attention. She was nobody’s puppet, at least not anymore, and she didn’t like to remember those dark days. That was why she had split herself from the Evil Queen, she wanted a fresh start. The pirate should understand that, he had certainly tried to whitewash his own past, she didn’t make jabs about that.

“When you were a small child Emma you saw Merlin in a theatre. He told you not to take Excalibur except .. that wasn’t Merlin, that was me. He wanted me to do so for a number of reasons; to deliver the warning itself, to make Merlin seem all powerful and to gain your trust. He had done an impossible feat in appearing to you as a child, while being trapped as a tree in another realm. He wasn’t a stranger to you, you had already met him,” the apprentice confessed.

Henry laughed. “Well that’s one mystery solved. It’s nice to know but I don’t ...” he trailed off because the apprentice started talking again.

“I also left Storybrooke to see Lily, Maleficent’s daughter, I could leave the town and return whenever I wished. I gave another this ability on Merlin’s instructions, the self-entitled Snow Queen. She had a scroll, which I believe you have already found.”

“Now that scroll could be useful if we could find it,” Regina noted. “Although there is no guarantee it will protect against this new dark curse.”

Hook shrugged at Regina’s pointed look. Begrudgingly she had to admit that there was nothing Hook could do about his curse. She hadn’t been able to break her dark curse, not without reversing it by tearing up the scroll. For the second dark curse, there had been no scroll and no reverse option. That second curse had at least been cast properly.

The third dark curse had been cast purely by will and magical power, which is why it only covered a very small area. However, it was still a curse and they were still trapped by it. True loves kiss had broken both the first, and the second dark curse. It would likely be true loves kiss that broke this curse as well, although she wasn’t yet sure how they could engineer the circumstances to make that happen.

“Why tell you this?” the apprentice continued. “Simply because Merlin asked me to do so. He had the gift of sight, he often didn’t understand what he saw, puzzle pieces that only made sense after the fact. However, he saw what had to done clear enough, even if he didn’t understand why.”

On screen, the apprentice leaned forward. Up till now, he had appeared to just be casually imparting information, explaining away some confusing incidents but it was nothing of note. Yes, it was nice for the mysteries to be solved but it changed nothing. The apprentices expression was now gravely serious and Regina felt herself subconsciously leaning forward to pay rapt attention. This was going to be important.

“Merlin told me when we met, I would live several lifetimes and that I would die on a foolish attempt that was doomed to fail. However, it was necessary for events to play out, for his final prophecy of turning the darkness to light to come to fruition,” the apprentice paused and took a deep breath.

“Emma, if you want to destroy the darkness, then you must remember Nimue. She is the key. You must remember Nimue.”

On the television, the apprentice stood and turned the camera off, the screen went blank and a moment later the tape whirred to a stop.

“Merlin said that. There is only one person who can help defeat the darkness - Nimue,” Regina remembered.

“But she was the first dark one,” Emma argued, her brow furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand how that can make sense.”

“Well, if Merlin saw the future, it must be true,” Henry stated confidently.

Regina nodded, acknowledging the point but she had a sinking feeling that they were missing something important. Nimue had been dead for several hundred years and could no longer help with anything.

Besides, they weren’t trying to destroy the darkness right now. They were looking for something to deal with Hyde and the others he had brought with him from the land of untold stories. Rumplestiltskin was the dark one again and he wasn’t even in this realm.

Quite frankly it was a headache for another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the anon who asked about whether Belle could hear Rumple or not. That led my thinking down another direction and I really liked how this scene worked out. I didn't finish this chapter where I thought I would, the Rumple and Belle scenes were longer than planned. However, next chapter the plot gets kicked up a notch. Hope you guys enjoy it!


	5. Chapter 5

_~Flashback~_  
_Around Twenty Years Ago (outside the dark curse)_

“This is a bad idea,” Hank Morgan muttered to himself.

He clenched the tattered piece of paper in his hand, he had fiddled with it so much, the paper was now soft like tissue and covered in creases. The ink of the address was starting to rub off but it was still clear enough. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before tapping his fingers rhythmically against his jeans pants leg.

He was in the park, opposite the house. It was more of a mansion really, and with this location in London, it must have been worth millions. The appointment start time was five minutes ago and he still hadn’t plucked up the courage to go and knock. He paced up and down in a tight circle.

“This is a bad idea,” he repeated. “I can’t do this, I shouldn’t do this, this is insane.”

However, he still didn’t walk away, he couldn’t and they knew that. He had been approached for a reason, recruited for a reason and the mission he would be given at the meeting today, that was his for a reason. He was going to play a pivotal role. It was the chance of a lifetime but he couldn’t bring himself to cross the street.

“Suck it up Morgan, do this or walk away,” he told himself.

He took a deep breath and strode across the street. A moment later he was at the front door and he pulled the chain, ringing the bell before he could change his mind. He held his breath waiting for the door to open. A minute later a young twenty-something man opened the door.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were going to stand across the street all day,” the young man remarked. He stepped back, allowing Morgan into the house.

“It’s not everyday you get a chance to make history,” Morgan pointed out.

“Or to realize a long-held dream.” The young man said as he led the way through the house.

Despite himself Morgan looked around in interest. He shook his head in amazement, this house was still done up as a family home. All the surrounding buildings had been divided into flats, this was prime real estate. The furniture was all covered in dust sheets, some of them had slipped in places uncovering their treasures. It looked like a house of antiques, like the place hadn’t been touched in a hundred years.

The kitchen was at the back of the house, and the only room Morgan saw that looked like it was in use. Morgan’s guide headed straight for the table, there were four chairs and only one was occupied. Another young man was sitting there, he was slightly older than Morgan’s guide, and Morgan knew that the fourth chair was currently empty. That position had yet to be filled.

“Welcome to the Home Office. Your mission if you choose to accept it ...” the older man trailed off meaningfully.

Morgan forced a laugh but it was too accurate to be truly funny. This was Mission Impossible. They weren’t discussing any old mission today, they were discussing a mission that could eventually fulfill the mandate of the Home Office - the destruction of all magic.

“Technology has finally evolved enough for us to track magic ...” the younger of the two started.

“Yes I know that,” Morgan interrupted. He rubbed his sweaty palm on his trousers. “Just tell me what I have to do.”

“Every so often our world collides with the next, a little intersect, a tear in the fabric of reality, a ripple in time,” the older of the two picked up the explanation seamlessly, as if Morgan had never interrupted. “Using the new technology we can find these points. You can use it to travel from this land, to a magical realm.”

“What realm?” Morgan asked.

The two men exchanged a glance and Morgan had to resist the urge to bolt. There was something they weren’t telling him, something they were hiding. It made him nervous but he couldn’t let that distract him. This mission was important and he believed in it. Magic was evil, it didn’t belong in this land, it shouldn’t exist anywhere - it was unnatural.

There were a lot of crazy people in this world who believed in magic. They would never have been suitable for recruitment. What the Home Office looked for was someone who believed, but who was otherwise completely rational. That was why the fourth chair was empty, finding trustworthy souls to join was difficult. There were only ever four members and it was a lifetime contract, the seat was only filled with someone new when the previous member died.

“We don’t know where you will end up,” the older man admitted. “If you keep your destination in mind, you might be able to influence where you land. Either way you need to make sure you end up in Camelot.”

“King Arthur, Camelot?” Morgan snorted. “And what am I looking for in Camelot?”

The younger man laughed. “Believe it or not, the holy grail.”

_~Flashback~_

*****

The Evil Queen lurked in the alley next to Gold’s pawnshop. She was cloaked from sight by magic, the townspeople walked in front of her, hurrying in both directions, none the wiser as to her presence. Her lip curled in scorn, they were such sheep. Although really, mundane life in this realm offered so much more than in the old world.

Quite frankly they should be thanking her for the dark curse.

She gestured with both hands, flicking them down and with a puff of smoke, she transformed her outfit into something her ‘better self’ would wear. It was a black pantsuit, silk blouse, it was certainly more comfortable than a corset but it didn’t have the same intimidation value. However, it worked wonders for infiltration.

With another puff of smoke, she glamoured her hair, into the shorter and loose style ‘Mayor Mills’ had adopted. Suitably disguised the Evil Queen banished her magical cloak and stepped into Main Street. She crossed with purpose to the library, she had need to check out a few books.

The door was unlocked and swung open easily. The Evil Queen stepped inside, her eyes darted around but the library was deserted. The stack of storybooks, that the shepherd and the pirate had collected from New York, were piled haphazardly on the center table.

She frowned and reached out with her magic, testing for a trap or an alarm of some kind. There was no sign of any magic which was unbelievable and very irresponsible. They had left the books unattended, free for anyone to read, she hardly needed her disguise at all, there was no-one here for her to fool.

The Evil Queen reached for the first book on the stack and flipped through it quickly. There was nothing of use, she did the same with the next three books, before she hit on a story that had real potential contained within the fifth book.

“Yes this will do perfectly.” The Evil Queen smirked.

She tapped her long, elegant finger on the illustration. There were many bodies strewn over the field, so much death and in the center was the cause of it all - the black cauldron.

*****

Meanwhile back at the Charming loft Snow was still bouncing baby Neal, who had thankfully stopped crying in their absence. David and Emma were getting coffee and hot chocolate for the group. Although Regina noticed Emma sneak Hook’s flask, and pour something a little stronger in hers. She supposed Emma had been given a reminder today of the darkness she had failed to destroy.

"Why did Merlin ask the apprentice to explain all that stuff?" Henry asked, breaking the silence. Regina gave him a curious look. "He said he told us on Merlin's orders,” Henry elaborated.

"Because he wanted us to trust his final message. If he holds nothing back, we have no reason not to believe him," David reasoned. "Remember Nimue. She's the key."

"What do you think he meant by that?" Snow asked. David had caught her up on arrival, not that they had anything of any use to report, nothing that would stop Hyde or his friends.

"It doesn't matter. Hyde and the other new arrivals are the current problem," Regina stated firmly.

“Perhaps we’re being too hard on them, they have only just got here. We didn’t go searching for a way to make the Camelot natives leave,” Emma said, sipping her coffee slowly.

Regina scowled and bit her lip. It would be somewhat impolitic to point out that they had been a little busy at the time. They’d had the memories of the previous six weeks of their lives removed, and Emma had given into the darkness. They had been far more worried about Emma as the dark one, than any of the new arrivals from Camelot.

“Besides not all new arrivals are bad, there has been a dashing pirate in the past.” Hook smiled, nudging Emma lightly on the shoulder. She gave him a weak smile in return.

David cleared his throat to cover the awkward silence that descended on that comment. Regina shared a glance with him, had Hook really forgotten exactly how he had come to Storybrooke? They had wanted rid of him at the time because he had been in league with her mother, then he had joined forces with those two delusional idiots, Greg and Tamara, who had nearly succeeded in destroying the entire town and everyone in it.

“The simple fact is we can’t trust Hyde,” David said diplomatically. “He says that he now owns Storybrooke, and this town isn’t owned by anyone. We have to be prepared to defend it.”

“We also need to keep identifying the new arrivals. Someone is bound to be trouble,” Regina noted.

The town was something of a trouble magnet. One of the transplants from the land of untold stories was going to be a threat, possibly in addition to Hyde. He hadn’t brought everyone, only his handpicked selection after all.

“I have an idea,” Henry said slowly. He slipped down from his stool and headed for the door. “I won’t be long.”

The door banged shut. Regina stood. “I’ll go with him and then I should check on Zelena, make sure she hasn’t turned my house green out of boredom.”

“We’ll go back to the storybooks,” David volunteered.

Hook groaned at the thought and Regina didn’t bother to stifle her smile, as she headed for the door. She sympathized slightly. She much preferred taking direct action, the slow and patient plot was not her first choice, that was far more Rumplestiltskin’s style. She didn’t relish hours of research either but it would be far more tolerable, with the entertainment of watching Hook attempt to page through the books.

Regina sighed. Surely that was a bad thought? Shouldn’t that belong to her ‘worse self’? Good people were not supposed to find entertainment in watching others discomfort. She shook her head, she needed to focus on finding Henry, whenever he got ‘an idea’ it was worrisome. When she walked out onto the sidewalk, she caught sight of him rounding the corner and breathed easier. His destination was now fairly obvious, he was going to Gold’s shop.

*****

Regina warily pushed open the door to Gold’s shop. The man stored a lot of things here, she was surprised he didn’t have more security. There was no prickle against her skin of magic warning her against her approach. Either she was keyed into the spells, which was doubtful, or far more likely they had fallen when the darkness was sucked from him and he lost his magic. Rumplestiltskin likely hadn’t had a chance to replace them since then.

The bell above the door rang, a faint sound echoing around the cluttered confines of the store. Regina peered through the counters, but she couldn’t spot Henry in the front, which meant he was in the backroom.

She walked through and pushed open the curtain, Henry was slumped in the chair behind the battered old wooden work bench. There was a half drunk glass of whiskey and a vial of red potion on the table. Regina didn’t usually like to see similarities between her son, and her old mentor. However, in that moment, she could really see the family resemblance.

“You said you had an idea,” Regina started.

Henry shrugged. “Well Grandpa always had something to save the day before.” He sighed heavily. “I just wanted to get out of there really.”

Regina narrowed her eyes. It could get quite intense at Castle Charming, especially as Henry now didn’t have any respite from a crying baby. There was Robyn at home and baby Neal at the loft. She supposed he could move in with Emma now she was no longer the dark one. However, he had made no noises about doing that.

It was probably wrong but she couldn’t help but feel slightly gratified, that Henry wanted to stay with her. Despite everything, she was still his mother and he would always have a home with her, whenever he needed it. It was because she was his mother, that she knew that Henry wasn’t giving her the full story, there was more to the problem than just the atmosphere at the loft.

“You want to tell me what’s bothering you?” Regina asked.

Henry sighed again. “I’ve made mistakes mom. New York, I feel bad about what happened. I just .. I just always thought that there would be more time.”

“Oh Henry,” Regina breathed.

The regret was written across his face, he had always been like an open book to her. She wanted to tell him that it was alright, she wanted to wrap him in her arms and tell him not to worry and that it wasn’t his fault. However, he was getting too old for that now, he was going to be taller than her soon and he was old enough for the truth.

“Actions have consequences,” Regina acknowledged.

She stepped round the workbench and with a puff of smoke conjured another chair. She sat opposite him and took Henry’s hand in hers. His eyes had widened slightly at her words and Regina felt a pang that he hadn’t expected the honesty.

For all that they had been including him lately, against her better judgment, they had shielded him from the reality of his choices thus far. His decision to give Pan his heart for instance had been something they had never talked about, they had just been so relieved that he was safe. That was a mistake and now she had split herself, now she wasn’t so consumed by an emotional maelstrom she could see that.

“New York was reckless, and a mistake, but you had the best of intentions,” Regina continued.

Henry shifted uncomfortably and she realized that she’d misread his regret _‘I just always thought that there would be more time’_ he had said. Suddenly everything became clear. She was sure that Henry did regret his reckless decision to try and destroy magic. However, it was the possibility that the events of New York, would forever destroy any chance of a relationship with his grandfather, that was the real problem.

Although, Henry wasn’t just mourning the potential loss of a relationship with his grandfather. This was probably more to do with Neal, than Gold. Henry had barely had any time with Neal, and in a way Gold represented the last chance Henry had to know his father, which made Gold even more important. There had just been never enough time, or it had never been the right time, for that relationship to develop, for the stories of a father and a son, to have been told.

Regina hadn’t known Neal that well. Neal and the bookworm had disappeared off to the dark castle soon after their return to the Enchanted Forest. That was of course when Neal had met his end, though Gold had managed to delay Neal’s actual death for nearly a year, just not quite long enough for Henry to see him one more time.

Emma would likely have some stories of Neal. Regina made a mental note to ask Emma to share them, everything had been so crazy lately, lurching from one crisis to another, no-one had taken the time to think about what had happened. However, for now she had a son to soothe.

“If Gold returns to Storybrooke, I doubt he would turn you away,” Regina told him. She smiled faintly in reassurance.

“Really?” Henry checked and Regina felt her heart break at the hope in his face. She nodded and Henry smiled for the first time since she’d walked into the shop. “I’m surprised that you said that, I mean it’s Grandpa Gold, I thought that you would have wanted to keep us apart, that you don’t trust him.”

Regina grimaced. “I’ve known Gold .. Rumplestiltskin a long time. Despite him warning me himself, I grew to trust him. He shattered that trust and we’ve been moving and counter-moving against one another ever since.”

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_Around Thirty Odd Years Ago (including cursed time)_

When she had truly become Queen upon the death of her unwanted husband King Leopold, Regina had created a vault in the depths of the castle. She soon had a wall of hearts to rival her mothers collection. However, the center of the vault was dedicated to her true love - Daniel.

She had always had magic. However, until she had met Rumplestiltskin her magic had been untrained. When Daniel had died her magic couldn’t save him, the closest approximation had been a stasis charm to preserve his body. When she had moved his body from the hillside, it had been a pleasant surprise to find him looking like it had been moments since his death and not years.

He had always been a hero in her eyes. Daniel had loved her even knowing the trouble that could bring, even knowing how dangerous her mother was. Regina had dressed him a white tunic and placed him on a golden bier, encased under glass and protected with all the magic she could muster.

It had been some time since Frankenstein, the wizard or doctor, whatever that butcher called himself, had come and stolen her last hope. Up until that incident, Regina had truly held out hope that somewhere, in some land, there would be a way to bring Daniel back to her. Watching Frankenstein fail, had been like watching Daniel die all over again. It had broken her heart anew, torn open old wounds, it was not something she could repeat.

Rumplestiltskin had been right. Dead was dead, magic could do much but not that. Nothing could bring Daniel back. He looked like a kiss would awaken him but not even true loves kiss could repair a crushed heart.

With a wave of her hand, the glass faded away. She rested her head against Daniel’s motionless chest and fought back tears. Regina drew in a deep breath but Daniel’s unique scent had long since faded. That caused fresh tears to appear. She sat up and wiped her face, and then Daniel’s tunic.

Regina frowned as a sense of wrongness washed over her. Her magic buzzed, like an annoying fly, prickling just beneath her skin. There was a hollow feeling in her chest and and a sick twisting feeling in her gut.

She brushed Daniel’s chest again, this time closing her eyes and feeling with her magic, and not just her love. Regina sucked in a deep breath between gritted teeth, her eyes widened in horror.

“No!” Regina screamed.

There was no heart in Daniel’s chest. For the procedure she had provided Frankenstein with a new magical heart. Without magic Frankenstein could implant it in Daniel’s chest, but he couldn’t remove it. He had said the heart hadn’t survived but there were no remnants, there was nothing - it had never been there.

Frankenstein had lied.

Regina stepped back from the bier, staggering slightly. She paced in a quick flurry of movement, her mind racing as she swiftly drew a terrifying conclusion. Rumplestiltskin had wanted to train her. She had been holding back, she hadn’t wanted to become her mother and then that portal jumper, Jefferson, had brought Frankenstein to her. Frankenstein had stripped her of her last hope and that was when she had truly become the Evil Queen.

She had met Jefferson at the dark castle, he had overheard her conversation with Rumplestiltskin about bringing back the dead.

“Oh how could I have been so stupid?” Regina whispered furiously.

It was all so obvious, the three of them had been in the plot together. Rumplestiltskin had been the mastermind and Jefferson and Frankenstein had performed their parts perfectly. She might never have known that she had been manipulated, it was only chance that she had sensed the lack of a heart.

Regina growled and gestured sharply with her hand, teleporting herself to the entrance of the dark castle. She threw her hand forward, sending the doors crashing open. With a puff of smoke Rumplestiltskin appeared in the entrance hall.

“You!” Regina snarled. Without conscious thought, a fireball formed in her hand and she launched it at her ex-mentor’s face.

Rumplestiltskin blocked it easily. “Your majesty,” he trilled. “What has happened? Snow White again?”

“No you!” Regina bellowed. “Daniel .. there is no heart in his chest. You tricked me, you broke me, you turned me into this .. this monster!”

Rumplestiltskin went very still and Regina stopped. Her breathing was ragged in her fury but part of her ached to trust him. She didn’t have anyone else. If she rescued her father from Wonderland, then she would have him. However, while she knew he cared, he had never protected her. Perhaps if her father had stood up to her mother occasionally, then things would have been different.

She was bitter about it all and Rumplestiltskin had brought her freedom, from her mother, from the king. He had given her power to shape her own destiny, taught her so much and she had trusted him. Now, just like everyone else, he had betrayed her.

“You made your own choices, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin told her, his tone hard and uncompromising. For once his expression was serious, there was no glee in twisting words and playful banter.

“That’s all you have to say?” Regina spat. Rumplestiltskin nodded slowly. “You’ll regret this,” she vowed.

Regina whirled round and strode back out of the dark castle. She would never beat him in a straight magical fight and as satisfying as it was, throwing fireballs in his face wasn’t why she had gone to the dark castle. She had wanted an explanation, some reason that made it less of a betrayal but as always she should have known better.

She would make Rumplestiltskin pay. She would make them all pay.

Frankenstein was beyond her reach - for the moment. However, she would start with Jefferson. She would find out what he cared for the most, and she would strip it from him, like he stripped her of her last hope. Frankenstein had done the deed but Jefferson had been the face who had made her a promise he couldn’t keep.

Revenge against Rumplestiltskin would be difficult, he was very powerful but she would find a way. She would find out what he cared for and get some leverage against the dark one. He had turned her into a monster, it was about time to see if he enjoyed his handiwork.

_~Flashback~_

*****

Regina sighed, banishing the old memories. Without the Evil Queen inside her, without having all that toxic hate bubbling inside, she could see now that she had been unfair. Situations were complicated.

She had blamed Jefferson, and punished him severely, trapping him in Wonderland, splitting him from his daughter, making him remember everything during the twenty-eight cursed years. She had blamed Jefferson for tipping her over the edge and it hadn’t been his fault, he had been a pawn in Rumplestiltskin’s game.

In the end it all came down to family, by blood or those that were bound by love. Even Gold was primarily motivated by love, for his son, for Belle. Her mother, Cora, had often said that love was weakness, Rumplestiltskin had said that _‘love makes us sick, it’s killed more than any disease’_ but that was only a partial truth.

“I don’t know how to love very well,” Regina admitted. “Sharing you with Emma is hard enough some days but .. I look at baby Robyn who will never know her father and I think about you, who never knew yours. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of, Henry, I’ve done more than most.”

“It’s ok mom, you’re not like that anymore,” Henry declared.

Regina’s heart warmed, she could practically feel his belief in her and she vowed yet again to always try and be worthy of that belief, and of his trust. She had never ever meant to hurt him, but she knew that she had, and his forgiveness meant more to her than anything. True love was the most powerful of all magic, love was hope, love was strength.

“What you are feeling now, it hurts because love hurts. My mother said love was weakness and she was right because love makes us vulnerable, it can hurt us more than anything. However, she was also wrong because it’s what makes life worth living,” Regina choked at the end, her throat clogged.

She was stunned to feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. They were talking about Henry, about his feelings for his father, not about her. She hadn’t realized that she had been feeling anything at all. She felt so disconnected at the moment, the emotional reaction was something of a surprise.

“It’s ok mom.” Henry stood and wrapped his arms around her. “I miss Robin too.”

*****

The Evil Queen negligently waved her hand, blasting the door to the Major’s office open. The door swung back, banging against the wall and bouncing closed behind her. Hyde was sitting at the desk, he raised an eyebrow at her appearance.

She was still wearing the pantsuit that her ‘better half’ favored, her hair and makeup still magically disguised to look just like Regina. Clutched in her hand, crumpling the pages slightly, was a magical copy of what she had found in the storybooks.

“I was told you were dead,” Hyde said with some amusement. “Though I think we both know exactly why that is impossible .. or at least we do now.”

The Evil Queen smirked. Hyde had recognized what she was and who she was instantly, that was good. It saved time, and hopefully meant he wasn’t like the usual fools she was reduced to working with. She waved her free hand, and a swirl of smoke, transformed her outfit back into the tight black dress with high collar that she preferred.

She slammed the pages down onto the desk in front of Hyde. “Where can I find this cauldron?”

Hyde narrowed his eyes, obviously accessing her. “Don’t screw up my town,” he warned.

“Your town?” The Evil Queen arched an eyebrow, before laughing as a delicious idea popped into her head. “I suppose it’s about time we had some fair elections around here.”

“Fair?” Hyde asked dubiously.

The Evil Queen smirked. “Well naturally it’s only fair, if you win.”


	6. Chapter 6

Belle wasn’t sure how long she had cried. When finally the tears dried, she felt numb and empty. All the emotion had been purged temporarily and she just felt disconnected. The mirrors had remained blissfully blank during her breakdown. Perhaps whatever this place was, could sense her torment and knew that torturing her then was unnecessary, she was already torturing herself.

She got her breathing back under control and just lay on the floor, staring into the dark space of nothingness that was the ceiling. There was no way to tell how much time had passed. On many occasions she had wished to have all the time in the world to read. Now, she was trapped in this nightmare realm of mirrors and regrets, she had all the time in the world and there wasn’t a book in sight.

A hysterical giggle slipped from her lips. Belle closed her eyes. She was already asleep in the real world but could someone sleep in a dream? If she could sleep then she wouldn’t have to think. She had spent years locked up, trapped in one cell or another, with nothing more than her mind for company.

The twenty-eight years of the curse had been easier than the time in Regina’s tower. Under the curse she didn’t struggle to clear her mind, there had been no memories within her mind, which meant no regrets to dwell over.

Suddenly a shockwave passed through the room again. Belle frowned and pushed herself up, leaning back on her elbows. What was going on? There was no need to pass through a second portal. Whatever was causing this mirrored room to shudder like that, it likely wasn’t a portal. That meant she might still be in the underworld after all.

Belle slumped back down and pillowed her head on her hands. She didn’t know how time passed in this dream world. If it was in real time, then she could have days to wait, or even longer, before Rumplestiltskin managed to get her back to Storybrooke and her father.

Out of the corner of her eye, Belle caught a flicker of light, as another mirror swirled to life. She turned to look and see what memory her unconscious thoughts had conjured this time. What fresh hell did this mirror room wish to plunge her into now? The mirror showed herself, dressed in the adventuring gear she had used during her hunt for the yaoguai.

_“I’m coming back Rumple,” Belle vowed._

_“Isn’t that sweet? Still fighting for true love, even to the bitter end.” Regina smirked._

Belle watched the memory progress. She was dragged towards the wooden cell constructed on the cart. They had traveled all night to get to Regina’s castle, where she had been imprisoned in the tower.

_“I can save him! Just let me go to him. I .. I can break his curse!” Belle yelled, struggling uselessly._

_“You already tried and failed. That monster’s beyond saving. I’m sparing you a lifetime of pain and misery.” Regina stated, her face alight with malicious glee._

_Belle tugged on the bars. “You .. you can’t keep us apart forever! I’ll fight for him. I’ll never stop fighting for him!”_

The mirror swirled and went blank once more. Belle flopped backward onto her back and sighed heavily. That had been a more innocent time. She struggled to remember how she had felt back then, she had been so sure that everything would turn out right despite how Rumplestiltskin had reacted.

Her naivety was outstanding. Regina had been right, she had failed to break Rumplestiltskin’s curse because he didn’t want it to be broken. He was beyond saving from the darkness. Although Regina’s brand of _‘saving her from a lifetime of pain and misery’_ was something she could have done without.

She had been wrong about the gauntlet, she could see that now, but that didn’t mean she had been wrong about everything. When the gauntlet had led her to the dagger, it had been like a knife in the heart. She had thought that Rumplestiltskin’s true love was his power, it had been heart breaking.

While she could understand coming second to Neal, as he was Rumplestiltskin’s son and children came first. She hugged her stomach at the thought. Coming a distant third behind power was a step too far.

Another mirror swirled and Belle held her breath. She suspected it would show her the town line, when she had said to Rumplestiltskin _‘your true love is your power’_ but the image that formed was of the underworld library.

“Why do you keep showing me this?” Belle whispered, her brow furrowing as she thought it over. It had been a pivotal conversation, she had been hit by a series of revelations, one after the other, until it was hard to know up from down.

_“I love this dagger and I also love you. Both are possible,” Rumplestiltskin declared._

The image faded before the memory could continue. Belle’s frown deepened. She hadn’t realized at the time, she was still reeling from the double revelation that she was pregnant and that Rumplestiltskin was the dark one again. However, he had said that he ‘loved the dagger’ which didn’t quite make sense.

She remembered how the conversation had continued, she didn’t need the mirrors to show her. Rumplestiltskin had elaborated, saying that he craved power and that he wouldn’t let it go, not again. She could understand he loved what the dagger represented, but not the foul object itself because it controlled him.

Rumplestiltskin’s desire to cleave himself from the dagger is what had led to him attempting to use the sorcerers hat. She had used the dagger against him more than once, she knew what it looked like. Belle looked hopefully towards the mirror, for the first time she wanted it to show a picture but it remained stubbornly blank.

Belle sighed, she would have to wait for the mirrors to show her the underworld again to be sure. However, now that she thought about it, the dagger had looked different from before. Perhaps that meant that the dagger was different. Although she had used it against Rumplestiltskin to stop him from killing Gaston.

She gave another deep sigh. Her thoughts were all jumbled, nothing was making sense. The only thing that had become clear was why Regina had used a sleeping curse as a weapon. It was a punishment, trapping someone with their memories, thoughts and regrets, potentially for eternity. If someone was trapped long enough, they could easily go mad. People didn’t like to be locked up - trapped.

Belle shivered. She hoped she wouldn’t be trapped here for much longer.

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_Ten Years Ago (outside the dark curse)_

“Ten years,” Morgan breathed.

He pushed open the door to Merlin’s tower. Ten years ago the Home Office had given him a mission. He was to travel to Camelot, the land of King Arthur and the sorcerer Merlin, and locate the holy grail. According to the Home Office that was the source of all magic, and therefore could be the end of all magic.

When he had thrown himself through the rift, he had wished with all his might to land in Camelot. His wish had been granted, which had made things easier. However, he had been a stranger and even in Camelot, supposedly a kingdom of second chances, strangers were regarded with suspicion.

Morgan hadn’t known the local ways or customs. He hadn’t been dressed correctly and most had considered him odd. His reputation hadn't been helped by the first question he had asked - which was where he could find Merlin.

Apparently Merlin had been trapped in a tree for the best part of five hundred years. He communicated with his chosen, namely King Arthur, which is what had led to Arthur finding Excalibur and becoming King in the first place. However, no matter how many times Morgan stood under the tree in the courtyard, Merlin never spoke to him.

He had realized pretty quickly that he would have to change tactics. If he wanted to find the legendary holy grail, he would need to earn the trust of the locals. It hadn’t been easy but he had eventually managed to persuade one of the knights to train him. Morgan dedicated himself to the process of being a knight and eventually he had a place in Arthur’s court, a seat at the table in fact.

It was something a regular guy from Connecticut would never even have dreamed about.

His new position of respect in Camelot had led to his courtship of Allison and their daughter Violet. He had never intended to build a life here. It had started out as a way to complete his mission, he needed to gain their trust and the easiest way to do that was to become one of them.

He had never intended to fall in love, and he did love his wife. Violet, was now two years old, and his entire world. It was a mess and that was why he had put off his quest for as long as he could rationalize it. Morgan probably could have gained access to Merlin’s tower before now. Today he had finally run out of reasons not to enter the sorcerer’s domain.

It was long past time to complete his mission.

Merlin’s tower was disorganized and Morgan despaired finding what he needed. Nobody even know what the holy grail actually looked like. The legends on Earth varied, some said it was a cup, others an amulet, it could be anything. Although he didn’t believe for one moment, that the holy grail was in the tower. He was just looking for the location.

“Jackpot,” Morgan whispered to himself.

He frowned at the piece of parchment he had found. It had been laying in plain sight on the wooden work table. It was a map of the area, a cave to the west was marked. Morgan knew it, had in fact traveled near there more than once.

“X marks the spot,” Morgan snorted. “A freaking treasure map. This can’t be real.”

Although, Merlin was supposed to have been prophetic. If that was the case then he should have forseen being trapped in a tree for five hundred years. It only stood to reason that Merlin should leave some clues around as to where to find important artifacts. Five hundred years was a long time and things changed. If Merlin hid the holy grail, now was the time for it to be found.

It was time for magic to be destroyed.

_~Flashback~_

*****

He needed to stop doing this.

Rumplestiltskin sighed heavily as he looked at Belle. After he had returned from his walk, and unexpected conversation with Quasimodo, yesterday, he had let Belle out of the box again. They were safe in this house and he had just needed to see her. She was laying on the bed and if he didn’t look too closely, he could almost pretend she was just sleeping.

It was like picking at a wound. It hurt to look at her, but he just couldn’t help himself. Belle was his strength and he felt like a rudderless ship without her. However, Pandora’s Box wasn’t just a convenient way to carry her with him, and keep her safe. While Belle was in the box she would effectively be in suspended animation.

He was well aware what a sleeping curse was like. It hadn’t been designed to be pleasant. While Belle wouldn’t be suffering the realm of fire, that joy was reserved for after the curse was broken, she would be suffering. The texts on the curse talked of a room full of mirrors, of memories and regrets.

Belle didn’t deserve that and the box would pause time for her, so that the amount of time she suffered was far less. He was being selfish every time he took her out of the box and it had to stop.

“Oh Belle, I hope you can hear me,” Rumplestiltskin muttered. He lifted his hand to trace her cheek but dropped it back to his side. “I’m searching for a way to wake you, to free you and our child. I promise you, the next time you hear my voice, I will have a way. I will find a way, I will, I swear it.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before the red strands of magic sucked Belle back into Pandora’s Box once more. He had broken one deal in his life, he really didn’t want to break another. This couldn’t be another failure. He had to find a way.

He had failed Bae, he couldn’t fail Belle and their child as well.

Rumplestiltskin carefully slipped the box into his enchanted pocket, it would be safe there. For a moment he stood still, just staring towards the window of the master bedroom. The light was shining against the white lace curtains. It was another day, another chance to make things right.

He just didn’t know what to do next.

It had been a few days since New York. Perhaps it was time he checked on his grandson. Hyde was in Storybrooke with a collection of others, chosen from this land. For a man born of a serum that released inhibitions, Hyde could be surprisingly cautious. It was the sudden swings that were concerning, one moment he would be seemingly normal and the next exceeding violent.

Henry was all he had left of Bae. Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers and a crystal ball appeared in a puff of magical smoke. He’d enchanted one of these twice before. First, back at the dark castle. He had intended to check on Bae but he had been too afraid. What if he saw his son suffering? He would be powerless to help him until the dark curse was ready. It was easier _not_ to know.

The second time had been in the Underworld, and the spell had been much more difficult as he had thought it would search among the dead. Instead it had found new life, which rather than bringing hope had brought fear, with Hades and that damned contract. Hopefully this third time would bring relief, rather than pain.

“Show me Henry,” Rumplestiltskin commanded.

The crystal ball swirled and a picture formed in the center. Henry was at Granny’s diner. Rumplestiltskin snorted, he knew Henry was a growing boy but that plate of bacon looked greasy from here. Could neither of his mothers make the child a proper breakfast? Henry was smiling at something one of the dwarfs had said.

Rumplestiltskin breathed easier and raised his hand to end the enchantment when he paused. In the background, sitting in one of the booths was Miss Swan and the pirate. Rumplestiltskin’s lip curled in disgust, as the pirate threw an arm round her and tugged her close for a very inappropriate display of affection, given the location.

He growled and banished the image. The crystal ball went back to it’s original state. It wasn’t fair. It burned that the pirate got to live and that his son didn’t. It just didn’t make sense, he just couldn’t understand how such a travesty could have happened. _‘Magic can do much but not that, dead is dead.’_ had been a cornerstone of magic, an inviolate rule and not something he had just made up to force Regina down his chosen path.

When he had told Regina that magic couldn’t bring back the dead, that it couldn’t bring back her precious stable boy, he had truly believed that. When Regina had told him that Belle had died, he hadn’t just taken her word. However, after all his tracking spells had failed, he had believed it, that Belle was gone forever. If he had known a way to bring back the dead, then he would have done it - for Belle.

His own resurrection had still been within the rule. He had only been able to return to life because he was the dark one, his curse tethered him to this world. A dark one was only supposed to die when stabbed by the dagger, thus passing the curse on to another. He had found a loophole in that by stabbing himself and his father at the same time.

Dead, was supposed to mean dead, but it seemed that the gods had other plans these days.

It just didn’t make sense. Especially given the recent death of another decent man, another father - Robin Hood. Robin was one of the few who had successfully challenged him over the years. He had deserved better.

Perhaps that’s what he should do next. Perhaps it was time to find out exactly what had happened, with the pirates miraculous return from the dead. That would also give him one last chance at the only thing left that could wake Belle - the crystal.

Surely if the pirate got a second chance from the gods, then they would do the same for someone as good as Belle. Especially as Belle was pregnant and there could be nothing more innocent, and worthy of being saved, than a child.

It was time to return to the underworld.

*****

“What the hell is this!” Regina slammed a flyer down onto the table, in front of David and Snow.

“It appears to be a flyer,” David quipped. He frowned and slid it closer, turning it round to look at it.

Regina scowled. She had been running late this morning, due to baby Robyn waking up four times last night. Zelena had handed Robyn to her after the second crying session, which had lasted an hour, and declared she was getting some sleep.

She shouldn’t really have let Zelena do that. However, every time she looked at Robyn her heart melted. Regina remembered when Henry was that age, she had been so panicked that something was wrong with him because he wouldn’t stop crying. She had taken him to the hospital and Snow had held him close, and he had finally stopped crying.

At the time Regina had been furious but looking back with new perspective, it was a sweet memory. Snow, had been unknowingly soothing her own grandson. It had also proved a point. Regina had been holding Henry at arms length, he hadn’t been getting the comfort he needed. Once she surrendered to the pure love she had felt for him, and held him close, he hadn’t cried nearly as much.

That was a lesson Zelena had yet to learn. Which was a problem for another day, right now the flyer was her biggest concern.

“We’re having an election?” Snow asked, puzzled as she read the flyer.

“No, we’re not,” Regina stated. “This is Hyde. He can’t call elections!”

“Why, you scared?”

The diner door swung shut. Regina turned round and blinked in surprise. Events in Storybrooke had been happening at such a rapid pace recently, she hadn’t interacted much with the greater town. She hadn’t been here during the evacuation and she hadn’t yet got a proper count of who left, and who stayed behind.

King Alexander stood by the diner door. He folded his arms and looked at her imperiously, dressed in a sharp dark business suit. Under the curse he had been known as Mitchell Herman. He was the father of Prince Thomas, or Sean Herman, who had married Cinderella or Ashley Boyd.

She remembered them specifically because once time had started moving, and the curse had weakened, Ashley finally had her baby. She had named the girl Alexandra, unknowingly after her grandfather which had been of interest to Regina at the time. Otherwise she hadn’t given that family a second thought.

“What are _you_ still doing in Storybrooke?” Regina asked. She sniffed disdainfully. “What about your kingdom in the Enchanted Forest?”

“My daughter-in-law believes the modern conveniences of this land make for a better life. I’m not someone who leaves family,” Alexander told them coldly.

“Could have fooled me.” Emma stood up and moved to stand beside Regina. “You were pretty keen to leave Ashley to have that baby - your granddaughter - alone. You forbade your son to have anything to do with her.”

“We were cursed. That was her fault.” Alexander pointed to Regina.

“Let’s not fight amongst ourselves,” David said soothingly. He rose from the booth and moved to stand between Regina and Alexander. He still had the flyer advertising the upcoming election in his hand. He gestured with it, towards Alexander. “I’m guessing you know something about this?”

“Of course I do,” Alexander confirmed. “I’m running. I would suggest you do the same, or have you completely capitulated to the Evil Queen?”

“That’s not who Regina is anymore,” Snow stated defiantly.

She left baby Neal in his carrier on the diner bench seat and joined the others, facing off as one against the former King. Snow touched Regina gently on the arm in support.

Alexander snorted. “People don’t change that much and she was rotten to the core. Have you forgotten so quickly what she did? I hear she has the Wicked Witch living with her now. Zelena terrorized the Enchanted Forest during the year we were back there. She turned a lot of good people, including Prince Philip and Princess Aurora, into those flying monkeys of hers. Does no-one care about justice anymore?”

A few murmurs of agreement swept through the diner. Snow frowned and David looked uncertain. Beside her, Regina saw Emma shift uncomfortably. They had accepted Zelena because she had. When Regina thought about it, she was humbled by their trust. They were willing to trust Zelena because of her and so far at least, Regina hadn’t been proven a fool.

Zelena had helped with the apprentices wand, the evacuation, dealing with Jekyll and Hyde in the land of untold stories. Regina had wanted to trust her sister in the underworld. Once they had returned to Storybrooke, and Zelena and Hades had holed up in the mayor’s office, Regina had thought she had been mistaken. Then Zelena had killed Hades, to save her life and to avenge Robin.

She had watched Zelena make that choice. That had to mean something. Zelena was on the path to redemption and if anyone knew how difficult that was, it was her.

“Zelena has changed,” Regina stated. “She deserves a second chance.”

“Why? There are no second chances for her victims,” Alexander pointed out.

This time an actual cheer went round the diner. Regina swallowed hard. This was hardly her first tough crowd but she could see how unnerved David and Snow were. They were used to people looking to them for leadership, of people giving them unwavering support. The hostility in the diner for a change wasn’t directed towards the person they were opposing - it was directed at them.

“You want an election, we’ll have an election,” Regina decided.

“Regina, I don’t know ..” Emma trailed off uncertainly.

“The town asked me to be mayor again. This isn’t a dictatorship, nobody _owns_ this town. You can tell that to your new friend, who is in _my_ office,” Regina told Alexander.

“I think that’s a good idea, let the people decide,” David agreed. Emma raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged slightly in response. “For now, let’s all move on. It’s about time we got to work, Emma?”

“Yeah.” Emma brushed past Alexander to get to the door. David followed her, he shot Snow a reassuring glance on his way out.

Regina made a small annoyed sound but turned on her heel and sat down in the booth next to baby Neal’s carrier. She pointedly ignored Alexander, focusing completely on the baby. Alexander headed for the counter and the tension in the diner dissipated.

“Hey.” Snow settled in the seat opposite and slid her hand across the table, to place it over Regina’s. “It’ll be ok. Nobody makes a better mayor. Whatever game Hyde’s playing, he’s going to lose.”

“That’s not what worries me anymore,” Regina admitted. “I don’t think that is what any of us should be worrying about right now.”

She looked round the diner, which had settled back into the muted hum of the early morning crowd. There was the rustle of newspapers, and quiet conversations. For the most part no-one was looking at them now the scene was over. She was grateful that Henry had already left for school and hadn’t had to witness what just happened.

Events in Storybrooke had been happening at such a rapid pace. They had been so caught up in all the disasters, which had been hitting them one after the other with no time to even breathe. They had got out of touch with the rest of the town, they had been caught in their own bubble. Now, it seemed that was going to come back to haunt them.

They hadn’t had a town meeting since shortly after the second dark curse, and they were now caught by a third. The town wasn’t happy and Regina wasn’t sure she could blame them. Hyde had called the election for his own reasons, but it had brought to light a far deeper problem than the ‘villain of the week’. Rot had set in this town and Hyde was giving them a chance to cauterize the wound, and stop the bleeding before it turned fatal.

The town had asked her to be mayor again. Now, perhaps because she had split from her ‘worst self’ she could see that she hadn’t lived up to her responsibility lately. It was time for Mayor Mills to go back to work.

*****

With a swirl of smoke The Evil Queen appeared in the living room of the apprentices small house. She raised an eyebrow in disdain at the humble surroundings. That someone of such power had deigned to live here, was an affront. She hoped that the apprentice had been keeping a low profile for a reason.

She opened the door to the basement and carefully picked her way down the stone steps. A slow smile spread across her face. The cauldron that the apprentice had used to communicate with Merlin was in the center of the basement. It was still, the spell that had been woven over it had failed on the death of either the caster, or of the sorcerer himself.

The cauldron had a connection to the spirit world, it could transcend planes of existence, which is how it managed to forge a connection to the trapped sorcerer. The apprentice had used it for communication, she had a different purpose in mind.

The Evil Queen smirked. She would return the black cauldron to it’s original function. She waved her hand over the cauldron and it disappeared in a swirl of smoke. A few spells and she would be ready to begin, soon the dead would be unleashed on Storybrooke.

The heroes thought the underworld had been hell. They had no idea.


	7. Chapter 7

_~Flashback~_  
_Ten Years Ago (outside the dark curse)_

“Are you sure about this?” Allison asked.

Morgan squeezed her hand reassuringly, as he warily eyed the cave entrance. He nodded firmly. “Yes, it has to be done.”

After he had found the map, with the location marked with an X, in Merlin’s tower, Morgan had gone home. He had found his wife and told her a version of the truth, that he had to go on a quest and that he didn’t know when he would return. However, Allison had surprised him, and not just because she had found the map and confronted him with it.

Allison’s father was also in Arthur’s court and she knew that his quest wasn’t official. It was unusual for a knight to undertake a quest so close to home. It was also unusual, if not unheard of, for a knight to undertake a quest alone. What had truly surprised Morgan, was that Allison hadn’t pressed for an explanation, she had simply informed him that she would be going with him. When he had tried to object, she had raised one eyebrow and shut him down.

“This could be dangerous,” Morgan warned, trying one last time to make her see reason. “Violet needs you at home.”

“Violet also needs her father,” Allison retorted. “This is why you came to Camelot is it not?” Morgan nodded hesitantly. Allison smiled softly at him. “I thought as much. It is then past time that this quest is completed.”

“Yes, past time,” Morgan muttered. He shook his head slightly and refocused, pasting on a confident smile. “Let us begin. Hopefully we’ll be home for supper.”

Morgan lit a lantern and held it high in his right hand. He offered his left to Allison, who took it firmly. Together they strode forward, stepping into the mouth of the cave. The shadows seemed to swallow them and the cave narrowed and forced them to continue single file. Morgan moved in front, he could feel Allison behind him, keeping a hand lightly brushing his back in reassurance so he knew she was there.

The cave tunnel sloped downwards. Morgan swallowed hard, they had been walking far too long for this cave to be natural. It had been created with magic. The moment that thought formed, the lantern shone on solid rock up ahead, a wall blocking their path. It appeared to be a dead end but it couldn’t be, this was merely a test.

“Open Sesame,” Morgan muttered hopefully, not that he really expected that to work. They were in the Enchanted Forest, not Agrabah.

Morgan ran his hand over the cool stone, there had to be a trick to open the doorway. He couldn’t feel a latch of some kind but this was the doorway to a sorcerer’s lair. It would be naive in the extreme to believe that it wasn’t heavily protected. There were likely many enchantments laid down to keep people out.

Many magical protections.

“Is there another way around?” Allison asked quietly, from behind him.

“The only way is through,” Morgan replied, which was perhaps precisely the point.

He closed his eyes and took two steps forward, which should have been impossible, the wall was in the way. He turned and opened his eyes and raised a hand. He touched cool stone, it felt solid, it felt real and yet he had walked right though it.

“Magic,” Morgan spat in derision, it was so unnatural. “Allison,” he shouted.

“Morgan!” Allison yelled, her voice muffled by the stone. “How did you get through?”

“Just walk through like it’s not there,” Morgan bellowed.

The cave shook. He looked around him and blinked in surprise, taking an instinctive step back and away from the edge. He was on the edge of a large cavern, there was the platform he was standing on and it was connected to another platform, a hundred feet ahead by a narrow strip of stone. It was barely the width of a single brick. He looked down, there was nothing but darkness, who knew how deep it was.

“Morgan.”

He jumped at the soft touch against his hand. He let out a shaky breath and smiled, squeezing Allison’s hand, she had made it through and they were together. However, looking at what lay ahead, that might not be a good thing. He wished that she had been forced to turn back.

“Stay here, wait for me to cross,” Morgan told her.

Warily he moved forward, he put one foot on the strip of stone. He was glad that he had forgone armor for this mission, choosing instead soft leather. He could move well enough in armor but it was heavy and that would be a hindrance for balance, it was going to be precarious enough as it was.

Morgan extended his arms, he just had to pretend he was a trapeze artist, one without a safety net or any experience. He took another step, wobbled. He heard Allison gasp but he couldn’t turn to look at her, he didn’t even want to spare a breath, his concentration was absolute. He took another step, and another, soon he was halfway. That gave him a shot of confidence and before he knew it, he was on the other side.

He touched the wall, just like before it seemed solid. He closed his eyes and walked forward and swore when his head collided with the stone. Whatever protected this doorway, clearly it wasn’t a leap of faith. He frowned in thought before turning back to Allison.

“You can stay there,” Morgan called across the cavern.

Allison raised an eyebrow and took her first step onto the narrow strip of stone. That woman was going to be the death of him. Morgan shook his head, in disbelief and admiration. Allison was making it look easy, she looked far more surefooted than he had felt and she was halfway across before he knew it - then disaster struck.

She slipped and screamed and fell over the side. At the last moment she grabbed onto the edge of the stone, hanging off the narrow strip by her fingertips.

“Hold on!” Morgan shouted.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to slow down. It would do neither of them any good if he went over the side as well. Shakily he managed several steps and got close to her, before dropping down onto his stomach.

“Take my hand,” Morgan yelled.

Allison grabbed for his hand and he caught it, at the same time she lost grip with the other hand. The sudden weight overbalanced him and they both tipped over the edge. Allison screamed and Morgan thought it was the end ... but they weren’t falling.

Morgan felt solid stone under his back. He was panting, gasping for breath in panic but they weren’t dead. He rolled to his feet. The strip of stone had disappeared and the cavern was solid. It had just been an illusion. He offered his hand to Allison and helped her up. She buried her face in his chest.

“It’s alright, you’re alright,” he murmured. “You should go back.”

Allison stepped back and looked at Morgan defiantly, tears staining her cheeks. “Only if you come with me and give up this quest for good.”

“I can’t do that, I have to do this,” Morgan told her.

This quest was why he was in this land. It had been his calling, his reason for so long and he couldn’t abandon it now. Not when he was so close to finally completing it. Quite what would happen after this he didn’t know. Looking beyond the quest had been difficult, it had been easier not to think about it. There was Allison and Violet to consider now. It wasn’t like he could just go back home, it had been ten years.

He looked over at where the opposing platform had been, there was now an exit carved into the rock. The first door had required a test of faith, what had this been? A test of courage, of sacrifice? It was a nasty game and one he didn’t want to play any longer. Surely there couldn’t be many more protections.

Morgan stepped forward. Allison looked defiantly at him and nodded. She followed him to the exit of the cavern. Morgan stepped through first and blinked, a slow smile spread across his face. They had done it, they had breached Merlin’s vault.

In front of them was a stack of books, they were large and rectangular, with brown covers and gold shiny titles on the front. Best of all was the jet black holy grail, with the hint of silver etching around the top. The colors were flipped from how the Home Office had described the original, that had been silver, with a dark etching around the top. The original had given magic to the world, this one would take it away.

“This is it, that is what you are looking for?” Allison asked.

“Yes,” Morgan breathed, staring reverently at the sight. He didn’t think he would ever see it.

Allison stepped forward. “If you are just going to stand there ...”

A jet of fire crossed the room, from one side to the other. It hit Allison square on the side, throwing her several feet. She landed hard, bouncing along the ground.

“No!” Morgan screamed.

Heedless of the consequences he dashed forward, dropping to his knees by her side. He had expected burns, she had been hit with fire, but instead her skin bubbled, black veins rising to the surface. She shook, her eyes wide in fear, her lips moved but no sound came out.

Morgan grabbed her hand. “It’s alright, you’re going to be alright,” he promised desperately.

It was a lie. Allison’s eyes closed, her body sagged and then Morgan felt her hand start to crumble as she disintegrated, turning to ash. He sobbed, tears rolled down his face, a tight band snapped round his chest and he couldn’t breathe.

“I told you not to come ... I shouldn’t have let you come ... I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Morgan gasped.

He didn’t know how long he cried but eventually he forced himself to stand. With burning eyes he turned and looked at the cursed prize he had sought for so many years. He had been right, he had always been right. Magic was unnatural and it needed to be eradicated - just not at this price.

With purpose he strode forward, no bolt of magic struck him down. Whatever last protection there had been, no longer seemed to be working. He grabbed the dark holy grail and turned to leave but the books caught his attention.

They weren’t part of his mission but they were here and that had to mean something. He would take everything, he would sent it all back. He’d let the Home Office sort it out.

Allison’s death had to mean something.

_~Flashback~_

*****

With a swirl of smoke The Evil Queen teleported into the foyer of her house, or rather the house of her ‘better self’. With the acquisition of the black cauldron her plan was starting to come together. However, there was one very important piece left.

She heard footsteps, her target was walking through the lounge and heading straight for her. The Evil Queen smirked and faced the lounge entrance. A moment later Zelena appeared. Her eyes widened in shock.

“Love the classic look sis but what’s the occasion?” Zelena asked flippantly, her eyes narrowing.

The Evil Queen raised an eyebrow. Zelena’s casual tone wasn’t fooling her, she could see the calculating look behind Zelena’s eyes. Zelena had never been stupid, just insane. For all that Zelena claimed redemption, her particular brand of insanity didn’t disappear overnight. The Evil Queen knew that better than anyone, the darkness never goes away.

Zelena had felt unloved and unwanted her entire life. She had been insanely jealous of a sister she never remembered even meeting. Perhaps for a moment Zelena had thought she could change, that what she had could have been enough.

Hades had said that he loved her, they even had true loves kiss to prove it. Regina had reached out, her mother had apologized and she had the limitless potential of unconditional love from her daughter. It was the family she had always wanted. Maybe, for a moment, Zelena had thought she could let it go because evil isn’t born, it’s made.

The Evil Queen smiled, she hadn’t know what she would find here. However, what she had found was utterly perfect for her plans. It would mean that she could have everything that she wanted after all. She could see what so far no-one else had, that Zelena was just going through the motions.

“The Queen is back,” the Evil Queen said simply.

“You’re supposed to be dead, Regina said she killed you,” Zelena said without surprise.

“So she thought.” the Evil Queen laughed. “You are the last person to say somebody _should_ be dead, given your own exaggerated demise,” she pointed out dryly.

“Touché, so what can I do for the Evil Queen?” Zelena walked away, as she asked the question and perched on the sofa, leaning back in a casual pose. “Do get to the point sis, I have a full day of doing nothing ahead of me.”

The Evil Queen thought for a moment. This had to go perfectly, they would make quite the team if she could convince Zelena to work with her. Zelena was brash, upfront, she might have schemes but she wasn’t good at hiding. Zelena wanted people to look at her, she wanted the attention, whereas right now the Evil Queen wanted to remain in the shadows.

“How’s your daughter?” the Evil Queen asked casually.

A flicker of fear crossed Zelena’s face. “My little sweet pea is fine, sleeping for a change.”

“Ah but she’s not _your_ little sweet pea is she?” the Evil Queen said sweetly. “You really think that the _heroes_ will let you keep her?”

“She’s my daughter,” Zelena declared. “Mine.”

Zelena shot to her feet, her eyes flashed and magic sparked in her palm. The green focusing crystal around her neck glowed as it helped absorb her emotional backlash. The Evil Queen raised an eyebrow, the fury was good, she could work with that. This was why Zelena would never be redeemed. Zelena was always jealous, always vengeful and nothing was ever enough.

“Those heroes forced you to kill your true love,” the Evil Queen pointed out.

“He didn’t want me,” Zelena said bitterly. She folded her arms defensively and glared at her sister. “I wasn’t enough.”

The Evil Queen nodded. “That’s because you wanted everything, you wanted the _heroes_ to accept you too. Villains don’t get happy endings, villains don’t get to have it all - only heroes do.”

She could see that Zelena was listening, that she had her attention. This was easier than she could ever have dreamed. Zelena didn’t want to be better. She wasn’t willing to fight to be better like Regina had because being wicked was more fun. Being wicked had got her what she wanted - her daughter. For Zelena there was no benefit in changing. Her ‘better self’ was a fool if she truly thought that Zelena would ever change.

“Villains only get what we take,” the Evil Queen continued. “You think that they won’t turn on you? Look what they did to my old friend Maleficent and her baby, you think that’s the action of a hero? They are just as selfish as anyone, they just cloak their deeds with noble sounding purpose and the masses lap it up.”

Zelena snorted in agreement. “The hypocrisy is nauseating.”

“They get called heroes and we get called evil for the same things. Evil is a point of view,” the Evil Queen finished. “I intend to make sure they get exactly what they deserve.”

“I like you better like this sis, it’s so much more me,” Zelena quipped.

The Evil Queen smirked. She had Zelena right where she wanted her. It was the perfect plan. Zelena might be wicked but she was evil, and evil always won.

*****

Rumplestiltskin casually waved the apprentices wand and a doorway thudded into existence. He shook his head, he didn’t think he would ever get used to how easy that was. The door creaked open and he stepped through. The doorway had spawned in the graveyard, near where the broken clock tower had been, when the portal had formed allowing them to leave.

He looked up at the trademark red tinged sky of the underworld. A slight breeze rolled over the graveyard, skittering dead leaves over the ground. He shivered and buttoned his overcoat. It was true that the last visit here hadn’t been nearly as torturous as the underworld could be, but it was hardly a happy memory.

The underworld was not somewhere people usually ventured voluntarily.

With purpose he strode off towards town. He would need to discover where the pirate crossed over. It would be a difficult spell regardless, but it would be next to impossible without an anchor. The veil had lifted in that corner of the underworld to Mount Olympus once, he would need to find the threads, the remnants of that crossover.

Even in the underworld some things never changed. When looking for someone, the first place in Storybrooke to go was Granny’s diner. Rumplestiltskin pushed open the door and his eyes scanned the interior. He had hoped to spot Cruella but she wasn’t there. However, he had heard she had taken over for what passed as mayor down here, he could try the mayor’s office.

“Can I help you?”

Rumplestiltskin looked at the man dressed in armor. He had been perched on one of the stools at the diner counter. Rumplestiltskin frowned, the man looked familiar but he couldn’t quite place him. That wasn’t like him, but then maybe the man wasn’t supposed to be dead.

“King Arthur of Camelot,” Arthur introduced himself. He gave a wry smile. “Or the underworld now I suppose.”

“Ah yes, the prophesized king,” Rumplestiltskin said. He had recognized Arthur, a second before the man had introduced himself. “I had not heard of your demise.”

“Hades killed me.” Arthur shrugged. “I know what you are thinking dark one.” Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed. Arthur chuckled. “Oh yes, I recognize you. I was prophesized to unite a broken kingdom, well I think my mistake was in believing that kingdom was Camelot. Instead, it’s the underworld. This is my kingdom now.”

Rumplestiltskin blinked, the echo of the words he had spoken to Hades, sounded odd coming from Arthur’s mouth. There was a glint in the former kings eyes that seemed out of place. He banished the thought, Arthur no longer held Excalibur and was of no interest to him. All he needed from him was information.

“The pirate, Killian Jones, do you know where he crossed over?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

Arthur nodded. “Yes, I was there, it’s down by the river of lost souls. It was right by the entrance archway. Above, there’s a plaque, _abandon all hope ye who enter here_. Somewhat ironic given the circumstances.”

“Quite,” Rumplestiltskin snorted. “Thank you.”

He turned to leave, giving Arthur one last long look. There was something not quite right about him, he looked smug and shifty. Actually, that was probably an accurate assessment of the King of Camelot, he was hardly the hero and perfect example that so many believed.

Camelot had always been a lie. Rumplestiltskin was well aware that it had been his magic dust which had restored the kingdom. His deal with Guinevere had been unexpectedly helpful for King Arthur, not so much for the poor queen, nor for Lancelot who had accompanied her. All magic came with a price, and Guinevere had paid a rather unexpected one.

Rumplestiltskin took a deep breath before he entered the underworld library. Now wasn’t the time for another trip down memory lane. He had been honest here but he hadn’t been clear. He should have explained but he had been aware of their location, and that Hades could be listening. He hadn’t told Belle what she needed to know, perhaps if he had, then they wouldn’t be where they were now.

He called the elevator and took a trip down to Hades domain. The river of lost souls looked as foreboding as ever, the bright lights of the trapped souls, sending a greenish glow bouncing off the stonework. Rumplestiltskin snorted, perhaps that was why Hades had been attracted to Zelena, the green felt like home.

His magic propelled the boat down the river and soon the archway came into view. Rumplestiltskin carefully stepped out of the boat and looked not with his eyes, but with his magic. He nodded to himself slowly, and smoke spiraled out of his palm. It formed a smoky haze, over the archway, as he felt for a connection.

Suddenly, it sparked into life. He smirked, his collect call to Zeus, had been answered.

The smoke turned white and then the picture came into focus. The background was white, only a few columns provided definition. Most of the frame was taken by a young man, dressed in a white toga. Rumplestiltskin frowned, he looked young, too young to be Zeus.

“You resurrected the pirate,” Rumplestiltskin stated, getting straight to the point.

“I did,” the young man replied calmly.

“Can I just ask why?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

He again felt the flare of annoyance at how unfair it was. It went beyond annoyance, he was furious but his eyes narrowed, just like with Arthur, there was something wrong with this picture. Zeus was supposed to be a bear of a man, with muscles the size of tree trunks. The mortals stereotypical image of a Greek god. This young man looked more like Bae as a child, like a twig which could be snapped in two.

“His heroic actions led to my brother’s death,” he explained, still infuriatingly calmly.

Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “You’ll have to do better than that dearie. I was there. The pirate had no effect on the outcome of that little tragedy.”

The young man smirked. An expression which transformed his face, it had been serene and now there was mischief playing in his eyes. Rumplestiltskin sucked in a deep breath, he didn’t want to be right but it was the one thing that made sense.

“You aren’t really Zeus,” he stated with absolute certainty.

“Zeus can’t come to the phone right now,” the young man quipped.

Rumplestiltskin glared at him and looked intently at the background. It was too white, too blank. When selling a lie, it was all in the detail and there wasn’t any to be found here. The background was vague, and obviously purposefully chosen for that fact, so as to hide it’s true location.

“That isn’t Mount Olympus either, it’s Valhalla. An easy mistake for the pirate. Your illusions have always been excellent - Loki,” Rumplestiltskin concluded.

“Awww you guessed.” Loki dropped the illusion, returning to his most recognized form from the land without magic, shoulder length dark hair and lean build.

“God of mischief indeed. Now what do you hope to gain?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

He knew very little about the Loki of reality, as opposed to the land without magic fictional versions. However, he had done some research when looking for Hades weakness. He knew that Hades and Loki had worked together in the past. They both had similar grudges against their brothers, and they both lusted for power.

“Don’t you ever just like to kick back, grab a bowl of popcorn and watch the fireworks?” Loki laughed. “Life as a god is _boring_. I need some entertainment! The last few years, you have certainly all obliged. I laughed my ass off when Hades green wench tricked your son into exchanging his life for your worthless one.”

Rumplestiltskin growled, “Don’t you dare talk about my son.”

The fury lanced through him, intermixed with blinding pain. If he could have killed Loki in that moment, then he would have. Nobody should speak of Bae like that - ever! Being a god didn’t give Loki a free pass. He took a deep breath and pushed his anger to one side. He came here for a reason and revenge wasn’t it.

“You brought the pirate back, could you bring back my son?” he asked.

Loki laughed and shook his head. “Been dead too long now. Besides, gods shouldn’t interfere in mortal lives, Zeus’s orders. He’s busy being all ‘father of the gods’ and it’s a big world out there, many lands and so sometimes stuff slips. I got the pirate past him, pure entertainment that, like throwing a lit firework into ...”

“I get the picture,” Rumplestiltskin interrupted.

He had guessed what the answer would be, but he had to try. He would do anything for Bae, that was why he hadn’t fought Miss Swan on going to the underworld in the first place. However, Bae was gone and he had to turn his focus to Belle, and their child.

“The Olympian crystal, I need it to ...”

“I know why you need it,” Loki said in a sing-song voice. “It’s back on Mount Olympus now, forever out of reach for you or anyone else. I can’t help you, the only one who could is Zeus and he only interferes when it suits him. He’s the original hypocrite.” Loki smirked. “Although, you’re not really his type. He usually only interferes when he wants to get his Captain Kirk on, if you know what I mean.”

Rumplestiltskin frowned. Loki held up his hand.

“It’s _boring_ up here,” Loki whined. “The land without magic is wonderfully inventive. It certainly passes the time, I feel like I’ve been waiting an age for Hercules to arrive. I need to replace my fool of a brother and bring around Ragnarok. I’ll need a whole truck of popcorn for that, maybe even some nachos.”

“I see,” Rumplestiltskin noted sourly.

He waved his hand and the picture blinked out, and the white smoke dissipated. He couldn’t take another moment of conversation with the trickster god. Immortality might be boring but it was their lives, the god was watching like a television show.

Rumplestiltskin sighed. This trip might have answered a few questions, like why did the pirate get to live, but it hadn’t accomplished anything else. The gods wouldn’t help Belle and the crystal was now forever out of reach.

He was back to square one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should apologize for the length of Morgan's quest, I got rather carried away. However, unlike the show, if I spend time on a guest star it doesn't take away screentime from the main characters - it'll just make the fic longer. For fans of Stargate SG1, you might recognize the test of bravery and self-sacrifice, it was the Asgard test for the Cimmerians in 2x06 Thor's Chariot.


	8. Chapter 8

“The leader Storybrooke deserves? How dare he?” Regina fumed.

For twenty-eight years the political landscape of Storybrooke had remained the same. The dark curse had been driven by her will, she had been mayor and her control had been absolute. Once the curse started to weaken, there had been the election for sheriff. That was the only election that had ever been held in town.

Once the curse had broken, the town had asked Regina to leave the mayoral office but no election had ever been held. David and Snow had stepped in as leaders of the town, and Snow had done so again as temporary mayor when she had been busy dealing with Marian’s return, or not as it turned out.

However, overnight the town seemed to become consumed by the political race that was unfolding. There were three declared candidates; Hyde, Alexander and of course Regina herself. The initial flyer announcing the forthcoming election, was replaced by campaign posters.

Hyde had taken a picture of himself standing inside the mayor’s office. There was no slogan, just his name in capital letters, emblazoned across the bottom. Alexander on the other hand was all about the slogans. He had several versions, all with the appropriate accompanying pictures declaring him a ‘proven leader’ and a ‘family man’, even more daringly ‘the leader Storybrooke deserved’.

It was this last one that had earned Regina’s ire. She ripped it down, off the notice board in front of city hall, tore it in two and dropped it casually to the ground.

David bent down and picked it up. “I think littering is frowned upon Madam Mayor.”

“Your flyers are much better mom,” Henry told her encouragingly, handing her one of the flyers he had designed.

Regina softened and smiled warmly at him. Although she hoped he hadn’t gone mad with photoshop this time. During the election for sheriff Henry had made Emma a poster, putting her face on a fireman. Regina cringed at the memory, she had declared it a waste of time and a waste of trees, crumpling it up right in front of him. She had been hurt by his unwavering support of Emma but it had still been wrong.

She looked down at the flyer and gasped. It was an illustration of her fighting the Fury. Her hands were linked with Snow and David’s, with King Arthur and Leroy on either end of the chain. There was a white stylized box at the bottom, which had a transcript of what had happened. Regina closed her eyes and bit her lip, by sheer force of will trying to stop herself from crying.

It was a bittersweet memory.

_“No! Stop! If you want a life, take mine!” Regina screamed at the hissing Fury._

_“You don’t have to do this alone. I’m with you,” Snow declared._

_“Me too!” David yelled in agreement._

_“I’ve got you, sister!” Leroy arrived, followed swiftly by King Arthur._

_Robin lay prone on the ground. He smiled lovingly at her. “It appears you found a few believers.”_

_Leroy nodded. “Standing up to that monster proved one thing ... if anyone’s going to save this town, it’s you.”_

Regina shook her head, banishing the memory. The heartfelt show of support from a dwarf, of all people, had been extremely surprising. She would never tell anyone, but that had meant a lot to her, perhaps almost as much in that moment as Robin’s steadfast belief. Robin loved her, had always said that he believed in her, even though she couldn’t understand why. The dwarves had hated her at one point, which had made Leroy’s support mean that much more.

“This is incredible Henry,” Regina said thickly, her throat clogged with emotion.

“Thanks.” Henry smiled. “I used the author’s pen and then ran off extra copies with the photocopier. We’ll plaster them all over town.” He handed half of the flyers he was holding to David and moved to step away, but Snow stopped him first.

“David, why don’t you take Henry in the truck and start from the town outskirts, work your way in. Regina, Neal and I will start here and work our way out,” Snow suggested brightly.

“Absolutely,” David agreed. He kissed Snow on the cheek. Henry handed her the other half of the flyers and the two of them left.

Regina watched them leave. She took a deep breath, when Alexander had come in the diner the day before, she had thought to herself that ‘Mayor Mills’ needed to get back to work. Well, the work began now. She would take part in this election, and do something that had previously been utterly foreign to her, let the people decide.

She did so hate to lose.

*****

Snow watched her husband and grandson walk away. She felt the tug on her heart that she felt, every time David walked away from her side. They were connected, they shared a heart and a true love connection. Snow looked at Regina, who was still staring at the amazing flyer Henry had made. It was a strange family they had amassed for themselves but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

She had always hoped that there was still good in Regina. Snow had looked for it when they had caught her, she had halted the execution and accepted Rumplestiltskin’s test and deal. _‘That woman lost much and now she is gone,’_ was what Regina had said. However, she wasn’t gone, she was merely lost for a time. Even with what came after, losing Emma for twenty-eight years and not being able to see her grow-up, Snow wouldn’t change a thing.

They were family and that was what mattered.

Snow shook her head, looking at the flyers in her hands. “Hyde and Alexander, will probably withdraw from embarrassment.”

“It’ll take more than a nicely illustrated flyer to win this election.”

“Hello Ashley,” Snow greeted warmly. “It’s been a while since the last mommy and me class. How is little Alexandria doing?”

“She’s with her father and grandfather at Granny’s.” Ashley folded her arms and looked disdainfully at Snow and Regina. “You don’t really think you can win do you?”

Snow blinked and then hesitated, she wasn’t sure what to say. Her cursed memories had retreated to the back of her mind, it took effort to recall them these days and she generally didn’t bother. However, she did remember how awkward it had felt, and how unnatural to be on opposite sides of the sheriffs election from David.

Even cursed they had felt their connection. It felt nowhere near as strange to be on opposite sides of the mayoral election, with Ashley, or Ella as she had been back when they were friends in the Enchanted Forest. However, it did still feel odd.

“I thought we were friends,” Snow pointed out, not bothering to disguise the hurt in her voice.

Ashley snorted. “Friends don’t forget friends. You haven’t given me a second thought since before the dark curse broke.”

“That’s not true,” Snow exclaimed defensively. “When we all returned to the Enchanted Forest for the year ...”

“You were more concerned about recovering your castle, or her castle.” Ashley pointed towards Regina and shook her head. “We returned to our own kingdom. We thought it was over, that we were back home. We were rebuilding our lives and then you brought us all back here.”

“I thought you liked it here,” Regina drawled.

“I would have liked the choice,” Ashley retorted. “But no, you cast another dark curse, completely uncaring of everyone that got sucked into it.”

Snow bit her lip and sniffed. Her eyes prickled with tears. That wasn’t true, that couldn’t be true. They had no choice _but_ the dark curse, they had to get to Emma because she was the only one who could defeat Zelena. The wicked witch had been threatening them all, had turned many of their friends into flying monkeys.

True, it turned out that Emma wasn’t the one to defeat Zelena. Regina had done that, using powerful light magic, rather than the dark magic she had been schooled in. However, they couldn’t have known that at the time. They had made the choice for the benefit of everyone, and it had come at a cost.

“David nearly died so we could return to Storybrooke,” Snow said shakily. “It was only our true love that saved him. He was going to sacrifice himself so that we could all be free.”

“Oh so now Zelena is the evil wicked witch again?” Ashley laughed harshly. “I’m sorry, I can’t keep up with who’s considered a hero or villain these days.”

“That’s enough,” Regina snapped. She stepped in front of Snow. “Do you have a point, or are you actually trying to hurt someone you used to call a friend?”

“Someone you used to call an enemy. Are you really going to let her speak for you Snow? Perhaps the Evil Queen got her revenge after all, she certainly knows how to pull your strings,” Ashley spat.

“Regina is family,” Snow stated.

Ashley laughed mockingly. “So if you are considered family in this town, then it doesn’t matter what crimes you commit because it’s all forgiven. No second chances for anyone else though.”

“I don’t understand where this is coming from,” Snow breathed. She stepped forward, reaching for Ashley’s arm. Ashley moved back, away from her. Snow’s face crumpled. “Everyone deserves a second chance. We have always just tried to do what was best.”

“Best for who?” Ashley asked. She smirked, obviously not expecting an answer. “I don’t know why I’m bothering. The Snow White I knew is long gone.”

Ashley turned and walked away. Regina placed a comforting arm around Snow’s shoulders. Snow twisted and hugged Regina, before stepping back and bending over Neal’s carrier. Fussing over the baby, gave her a moment of space to think. The Ashley she had known once wouldn’t have thought those things.

The more Snow thought about it, the angrier she felt. She felt betrayed. Ashley, or Ella, had been their ally. She and David had helped Ella and Thomas save their baby from Rumplestiltskin. In recent times they had drifted apart but while Ashley led an easy life, they had been stepping up to save this town.

They had made all the sacrifices. They had always done what they believed in, they had always done what was right. Snow remembered that it had been Emma who had saved Ashley in the end, inheriting the price of Ashley’s deal with Gold. After all that, Ashley had the nerve to attack her like that, how dare she?

Snow frowned, thinking it through. Those weren’t Ashley’s words, she sounded coached. It could well be her father-in-law, Alexander. However, it could also be an insidious plot from Hyde. He had said he owned this town, perhaps he wished to seal his control by holding this rigged election. That made a lot of sense.

“I think Hyde’s behind this,” Snow told Regina. “That wasn’t like Ashley.”

Regina looked unconvinced but before she could say anything, a loud shriek cut through the air.

*****

Regina turned. A lectern had been set out in front of city hall, and it had a microphone attached to the top of it. The loud shriek had been feedback through the speakers, when the microphone was switched on. One of the new citizens from the land of untold stories was fussing with it.

Hyde stepped out from inside city hall, over to the side Alexander and his family strolled along the sidewalk. Lots of people had started to gather. Regina narrowed her eyes, there was getting to be quite a crowd.

“Welcome to the Storybrooke Mayoral Rally,” Hyde said, his voice booming out of the speakers. “Each of the three candidates will make a speech and be available to answer your questions.”

“Nice of them to ask me,” Regina muttered sarcastically. She tossed her head back and smirked at Snow. “Thankfully, I’m always prepared.”

Regina moved forward, gliding through the crowd towards the right side of the city hall steps. Alexander approached from the left and they both got there at the same time. Regina gave him a slight nod in respect, which wasn’t returned.

“I think we’ll start with the incumbent mayor,” Hyde suggested. He stepped back from the podium and gestured for Regina to take his place. “Miss Mills.”

“That’s Mayor Mills,” Regina corrected, as she moved forward.

She looked out over the gathered crowd. Snow was still by the display board and gave her a reassuring nod, smile and thumbs up. For all of her outward confidence Regina wished that she shared Snow’s optimism. It wasn’t exactly like she’d ever had to do any campaigning before and the mood of the town wasn’t exactly favorable at the moment.

“Good morning Storybrooke,” Regina began. “A lot has happened in the last few months and ...”

“You can say that again,” someone jeered from the crowd.

Regina tensed and took a deep breath. “As I was saying ...”

A loud terrified scream interrupted her. Regina twisted to the sound, it was Ashley, she was screaming and stumbling backwards from the hedge which circled city hall. She fell to the ground, and kept on shuffling back, still screaming.

Then Regina saw why she was screaming so loudly. It was an Agrabahn viper, it was slithering on the ground towards her. Regina formed a fireball in her hand but before she could throw it, a man wearing a cavalier hat dashed out of the crowd wielding a sword. He slashed down, chopping off both heads in one strike.

“Thank you,” Sean gasped. He helped his wife Ashley to her feet and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

“All in a days work for one of the three musketeers,” Hyde said jovially. He clapped Sean on the shoulder. “That was an Agrabahn viper, definitely not native to this town.”

“It came straight for me,” Ashley stated hysterically.

Regina suddenly had an awful certainty about where this was going. She had a box containing an Agrabahn viper in her vault, or rather she suspected that she _had_ such a box. This was a plot of Hyde’s, aimed at discrediting her. In a war of public opinion, the person that attacked first usually won. The other person was forced onto the defensive, and then it seemed like everything they said after that, was just trying to help themselves and they weren’t so easily believed.

She should have seen something like this coming. She knew Hyde wouldn’t play fair and yet she had decided to play his game anyway. Regina shook her head, she should have known better.

“You did this,” Alexander accused, pointing directly at her. “This viper is what killed King Leopold. You really haven’t changed have you? You are still the Evil Queen.”

“I can assure you if I was responsible, I would have been a lot more subtle than this,” Regina stated. She hissed in frustration, she was better now and better meant being honest. That had never worked for her in the past but there was always a first time. “The viper might have came from my vault, but I wasn’t the one that brought it here.”

“So you keep dangerous magical artifacts unprotected? That’s excellent work Madam Mayor,” Hyde said sarcastically. “You nearly got one of your citizens killed.”

Snow pushed her way through the crowd. “You can’t blame Regina for this.”

“Somebody nearly killed my daughter-in-law, someone is responsible. This was her viper, from her vault. Tell me, who am I supposed to blame?” Alexander demanded.

Regina sighed and grabbed Snow’s hand. “Let’s go check the vault and find the real culprit. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

“That’s right, run from your responsibilities, just like you always do,” Alexander spat furiously.

“I think we should reschedule this rally,” Hyde suggested.

Regina ignored everyone, just focusing on getting herself and Snow out of there, and away from the hostility she could feel from the crowd. She could see their eyes, they weren’t sure what to think. They were waiting to be told what they should believe, and Snow and David’s steadfast support might not be enough this time.

It was a bitter thought to think that now she was better, she might have to face justice for something that she hadn’t done. Hyde would pay for this.

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_Ten Years Ago (outside the dark curse)_

Finding a ripple, or a rift connecting Camelot to another land was easier said than done. Morgan had the device the Home Office had given him. It had been ten years, he had been sure that the device would no longer work. It was presumably powered by something, and even powered down, no battery should last that long.

However, the device powered up and started beeping the moment he turned it on. It was a relief, one less problem for him to deal with. Allison was dead, Violet had lost her mother, magic had killed her but it was all his fault. It had been his mission, his quest, that had done it. Allison would never have been in a position for magic to kill her, if it hadn’t been for him.

Violet was too young to understand now and truthfully Morgan didn’t know if he could ever tell her the truth. She was all he had left now, and the thought that she would hate him for leading her mother into danger, it was more than he could bear. He would tell her that magic killed her mother, that she should stay away from magic, but he wouldn’t tell her his part in it.

He was a coward. He might be a knight, strong enough to wield a sword but he couldn’t face what truly scared him, losing the person he loved most.

Morgan put the grail in a box, packed it with straw. He placed the books in another box and put them on the back of a cart for transport. He then followed the beeping of the device to the rift. It was in the center of a clearing within the forest. The rift was like watching lightning, but it didn’t come from the sky.

These connections between realms were more well known than most people would think. How did Dorothy get to Oz? A sudden tornado, which had gone through a magical ripple in space. He guessed that happened sometimes, that the ripples took people where they needed to go. His ripple had brought him to Camelot, exactly where he needed to be. However, the rifts could go anywhere and he had no control over it, beyond his own fervent hopes and wishes.

If he threw the grail and the books through, they might make it to the land without magic, they might not. The only way to be sure was if he went with them and he wasn’t going to do that. He’d sacrificed enough for this quest, he wasn’t sacrificing anything else.

The quest to destroy magic, had destroyed his family. Violet was young enough that she wouldn’t remember Camelot if they left. That felt wrong to him, like it would be denying her memories of her mother. This was Allison’s home, he wanted Violet to know it. Besides, he couldn’t rip his daughter from the only other living family either of them had, her maternal grandfather.

There was another factor in his decision. Destroying magic was bound to be destructive. Sending it back to the land without magic, or quite frankly anywhere else, would be best, that way it couldn’t do any damage to this land. That way it couldn’t hurt Violet.

It was the easiest decision of his life.

Morgan hefted the boxes and threw them through the rift, watching them unnaturally disappear. He hoped that they made it through to the land without magic but it was out of his hands now. He was washing his hands of the whole quest. If anything, he was going to try and forget that it had ever happened.

Unnoticed by Morgan, hidden in the trees to one side of the clearing, was Merlin’s apprentice. The old man waved his wand, and pointed it at the rift. He didn’t know why Merlin wanted this to happen, but he followed the sorcerers instructions. He had planted the map to Merlin’s vault, and now he would ensure that those boxes made it to the land without magic.

The apprentice assumed all would become clear in time.

_~Flashback~_

*****

“Nothing,” Regina growled, lowering her hands and ending the magical stream.

She glared at the outside of her vault, or rather the crypt on top of her vault. None of her magical protections had been so much as tripped, let alone dismantled or defused. Yet, someone had got in the vault somehow to steal the viper. It was a mystery and a rather unsettling one.

“You can’t tell how the vault was compromised?” David checked, his voice grave.

Snow had called him after leaving the rally. Regina had sent her back to the loft with baby Neal, and had gone to meet David and Henry alone, at her vault. She would sent David home directly after they had dealt with this. Snow had been upset by Ashley’s comments and Regina wasn’t exactly the comforting type, even with the Evil Queen stripped from her. Especially because she wasn’t sure that Ashley’s words had been wrong.

Regina shook her head. “Magically, everything’s telling me that nobody has been in the vault recently, except for me. I certainly didn’t send the viper after that little ...”

“Nobody is saying you did,” David interrupted soothingly. “But it does present a problem.”

“The grail,” Regina finished the thought.

That was the most powerful item locked in her vault. The ability to destroy magic was beyond dangerous. They had placed it in a box, and the box itself was sealed with the most powerful magic she could muster. However, if the vault could so easily be compromised, someone out there had magical skills far beyond hers.

For all that Hyde had thanked her for bringing magic back to Storybrooke, he hadn’t shown any magical ability of his own. Perhaps one of the people he had brought with him was a powerful sorcerer, they still hadn’t been able to identify a lot of the new arrivals. They were comparing the illustrations and descriptions from the books but it was painstaking work, especially because a lot of them weren’t keen on talking to them.

“We need to put it somewhere else, the vault clearly isn’t as secure as I thought,” Regina admitted.

“What about blood magic mom?” Henry suggested.

Regina nodded and pursed her lips. She didn’t like to use blood magic these days because of Henry. He was her son in every way that mattered - but blood. Using blood protection just reminded her of that one thing that kept them apart. However, he was right, it was magic that should be impossible to break.

She thought about the possibilities. Her only living relations in town, as far as she knew, were Zelena and baby Robyn. While she did want to trust Zelena these days, it was better safe than sorry. Hyde’s sarcastic comment about her failing to protect dangerous magical artifacts, and Alexander’s parting shot about her failing in her responsibilities, had hit home.

“We should place two blood wards. That way, no-one can get through on their own. We can put it in Gold’s shop. He has a lot of items in there that shouldn’t fall into the wrong hands, and his magical protections seem to have failed, so I’ll replace them,” Regina thought aloud, that was something she should have done, the moment she had entered Gold’s shop and realized it was unprotected.

“Good idea.” David headed for the vault and reached for the handle. He hesitated and looked back at Regina.

Regina rolled her eyes. “It’s safe.”

David pushed the coffin to the side, revealing the steps, and headed down into the vault. Regina followed, with Henry directly behind her. She pointed to the box, in an inconspicuous corner. It didn’t look important, which was the point.

“You know, I can’t believe this was in a library in New York,” David remarked, as he lifted the box.

Henry blinked. “I didn’t think about it, I just found it ... how do you think it got to be in a library in New York?”

“I’m more concerned with who put it there and why. Nobody leaves a powerful magical artifact like that, unguarded in a public place. Nobody,” Regina stated.

“Perhaps they didn’t know it was magical,” Henry suggested philosophically as they left the vault.

“Perhaps,” Regina allowed but she was doubtful.

Rumplestiltskin hadn’t been a believer in coincidence, he thought everything happened for a reason. Maybe he had been her mentor for too long, but she didn’t believe in coincidence either. The anti-magic grail showing up exactly when Henry had been looking for it, that was just too big a leap for her to accept.

However, she couldn’t think how anyone would have known about Henry’s quest, Henry himself hadn’t decided until just hours before. Sometimes the simplest answer was the truth, and in this case, that was coincidence.

She blasted the crypt doors with magic, concentrating on keeping everyone out, including herself, She also set an alarm that would alert her if anyone tried the door. If her vault was breached again, she wanted to know about it. For now, if she needed to get into the vault, she would have to teleport inside.

Hopefully the only one who could get in her vault now, was her.

*****

Rumplestiltskin left the underworld library and took a deep breath. Rather than summon a doorway to leave, he started walking. Now he was here, before he left the underworld, there were a couple of stops he wanted to make. In a matter of minutes he reached the edge of the underworld graveyard. It was a large place and searching manually would take a long time. However, the first stop, was somewhere he had been before.

He walked between the rows, unerringly coming to the headstone he had only visited once. It read Baelfire in large letters, underneath in smaller print, it said Neal Cassidy, which was only right. That was the name his boy had chosen for himself, he had loved people and people had loved him, while he was called that.

The stone was tipped over, he was in a better place. Rumplestiltskin crouched down and traced the names with his finger. He had found this grave after he had overheard Miss Swan talking to Milah. At the time he had thought that Emma didn’t have the capability to hurt him any longer, any regard he had once had for her, had long evaporated.

However, hearing her tell Milah that Bae was happy, had hurt him more than it should have. He didn’t expect any better from the Charming family, they had shown their contempt for him far too many times. However, Emma should have told him about Bae. He had thought that they held loving Bae in common, but it seemed she had forgotten that.

“Goodbye Bae,” Rumplestiltskin murmured, brushing the cold stone one last time.

He straightened and summoned a ball of power, to find his last stop. It floated away, moving between the headstones. He followed it, as it weaved through the rows, until it came to a stop and disappeared. The headstone was tipped, lying flat on the ground, which meant that this person had gone onto a better place. Not that he had ever doubted that.

The stone was inscribed _‘Collette’_ , Belle’s mother. Belle had got her heart from somewhere, and it wasn’t her father, so her mother couldn’t be anywhere but the best place. Rumplestiltskin crouched down and brushed the leaves off the stone. With a flick of his wrist he conjured some flowers, pink roses, to express his thanks and admiration. They wouldn’t last long in the underworld but he felt the need to make the gesture.

Finding the stone tipped was bittersweet. It was good, because he was relieved that she was at peace, Belle would like that. However, it was bad because her mother could have given Belle true loves kiss. It was another option off the table, and he was all out of options.

“I’m sorry I never got to meet you,” Rumplestiltskin started. He hesitated and looked around. Hades was gone, there was no-one listening. “I know you wouldn’t approve of me but Belle loved you very much ...”


	9. Chapter 9

“What the hell?”

The young man cradled his stinging hand against his chest. He had just reached for the door handle on Gold’s shop and the damn thing had zapped him. He’d seen actual blue sparks. Gingerly he reached forward again, this time slowly and he felt the magical buildup. He couldn’t get his hand within three inches of the door handle without the protections kicking in.

“Will you hurry up?” his companion hissed, looking up and down the street.

“Doors locked - magically,” he growled.

He stepped away from the door, and they both walked a few feet to the nearby alley. There weren’t many people about, and the few that were walking along weren’t paying them any attention. However, if they loitered in front of the door for too long, then they would be noticed and they couldn’t afford that - not now.

“Since when?” the other man said incredulously.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged.

If they couldn’t get in the shop, then they wouldn’t be able to replace the battery in the electronic bug they had planted. Even though Gold hadn’t been in the shop for a while, it had still been providing useful intelligence.

The other man looked about as grim as he felt. It was a blow to their operation, they had just lost a major asset. Knowledge was power and they had just lost their prime information stream. They would now have to consider their next move carefully. They hadn’t been this close in decades and they weren’t about to stop now.

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_A couple of years ago (not long before the first dark curse was broken)_

Tamara walked with purpose down the New York City sidewalk. She lightly brushed the forest green scarf that was draped around her neck and smiled to herself. Today marked another successful mission. She had engineered an encounter with her target Neal Cassidy. He had been pathetically easy to manipulate and she had a date with him later this evening.

She pushed open the metal gate to the basement apartment. The metal hinges screeched and it clanged loudly when she pushed it shut. The paint was peeling on the apartment door. Tamara wrinkled her nose in distaste and sighed, tapping her foot as she was kept waiting. Finally the door swung open. She pushed her way inside, brushing past the young man who had opened it.

“You know you should paint that door,” Tamara remarked.

“I have better things to do with my time,” the young man shot back. “I take from your attitude that you were successful?”

“Like taking candy from a baby,” Tamara confirmed.

“Good. Earn his trust as soon as possible. We have a hole in our ranks and he seems like an ideal candidate,” the young man ordered.

“You don’t think Morgan will return?” Tamara half-asked, half-stated. “I suppose if he was coming back, he would have returned with the books and the grail.”

“Precisely and there must always be four. If Neal Cassidy doesn’t prove receptive, there is another. However, Cassidy would be the real prize. With ...”

“I’ll make it happen,” Tamara promised, fanaticism gleaming in her eyes.

Neal Cassidy had spent his life running from magic, it should be laughably easy to persuade him to join the quest to destroy it. After all, he more than anyone knew how dangerous magic was. Neal didn’t know it yet, but he was about to join the Home Office.

_~Flashback~_

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_A few decades ago probably_

Hades watched as Captain Nemo steered the Nautilus towards the maelstrom. The man’s intentions were obvious and his desperation intoxicating. If there was one thing Hades was good at, it was recognizing a desperate soul.

“Almighty God! Enough! Enough!” Captain Nemo screamed.

The rest of his crew abandoned ship, leaving the submarine and it’s captain to it’s presumed watery fate. However, Hades had other intentions in mind. This submarine could go many places, including a place of great interest to him. If Captain Nemo wanted peace, he was going to have to make a deal and earn it.

While his heart was stopped Hades knew he was limited to what he could do outside the underworld. He could only walk on the surface for a very short time, and his magic couldn’t do much. He could only go to a few select realms, and he couldn’t take, he could only persuade. However, thankfully, what magic he had was enough to stop the Nautilus from sinking, saving the ship and it’s Captain from the destructive swirl outside.

A moment later he heard Captain Nemo storming through the ship. He burst into the Captain’s quarters, where Hades was waiting for him.

"Why didn't you just let me die?" Nemo demanded angrily.

"Well I could have but then you would be in my domain and therefore useless to me,” Hades told him. He looked at him quizzically. “Are you not in the least bit curious who I am?”

Before Nemo could ask, Hades head burst into his trademark blue flame. He smiled and moved his head, to make the flames jump. Nemo folded his arms, and didn’t look impressed in the slightest. Slightly put out Hades ended his party trick, that usually got more of a reaction.

"What do you want?" Nemo asked bluntly.

"Actually it's more what _you_ want." Hades pointed at him, and a slow smile spread across his face. "You want it all to be over, you want it to end. I can help with that. Death will not grant you peace, just eternal limbo. I am your only option."

"I'll do anything. Name it!" Nemo said quickly, the desperation Hades had sensed earlier, written all over his face.

"I need you to go somewhere you have been before and retrieve something for me,” Hades said simply.

He tried and failed to repress another smile. The fool hadn’t even asked _how_ he was going to grant him peace. Plus unlike a certain dark one, who had unknowingly been helping him out for quite some time now, Hades was perfectly willing to break a deal once made. After all, who were the dead going to complain to, when he was the lord of the underworld?

Nemo looked at the charts on the wall, all showing various places he had been. "Where am I going?"

Hades tapped one of the charts. "Atlantis."

_~Flashback~_

*****

Emma rolled up to city hall in the sheriff’s cruiser. This was the second rally in a row that she hadn’t been informed about. She had been on the other side of town during the first rally, dealing with a reported break-in. Apparently some of the new residents hadn’t got the memo that stealing was wrong.

Snow had told her what had happened. It seemed that the rally hadn’t been a surprise to anyone _but_ her family. Hyde was keeping them in the dark, and far more disturbingly the town was helping him. Nobody had offered to keep them in the loop and Emma didn’t really understand why. They had sacrificed so much for this town and nobody seemed to care.

It often felt these days like she was on a never ending rollercoaster. She couldn’t stop to breathe, she couldn’t stop to think or look back and she couldn’t get off. Her life had become unreal, a literal living storybook. It was a life without limits, exciting and terrifying in equal measure. Sometimes it felt like if she closed her eyes, and opened them again, she would realize that this had all been a dream.

This life was too crazy to be real.

The world used to make sense. She remembered talking to Jefferson, stating that _this_ was the real world. He had shaken his head at her and said _‘A real world. How arrogant are you to think yours is the only one?’_ She had thought him crazy for believing in magic, and then just a few short weeks later, she had discovered that magic was real and nothing had made complete sense since.

Emma shook her head, this might be a strange life but it was hers, it was the one she had to live with. Right now that meant doing her job as sheriff and confronting Hyde about these political rallies. They were clearly going to be trouble magnets, as the snake at the first one had shown. As sheriff she needed to be informed and on scene, ready to deal with whatever happened.

“Hyde!” Emma shouted.

Hyde looked up from where he was studying some papers at the podium. A faint attempt at a smile crossed his face. “Ah Sherriff Swan, we finally meet. Here for the rally are you?”

“You should have told us about it .. and the last one,” Emma told him warningly. “Unless your goal is a rigged election.”

“On the contrary I’m bringing democracy back to Storybrooke,” Hyde declared. “I needn’t remind you Sherriff Swan, that as ... sheriff you should remain neutral in this political race.”

Emma snorted. “Or what you’ll replace me if you win? You’ll do that anyway.”

“Suit yourself,” Hyde smirked. “Please choose your seat, the rally is about to begin.”

“Hopefully it will be less eventful than the last one,” Emma said, as a parting shot.

Over to one side she spotted Hook, waiting with David, Snow and Regina. Emma quickly walked over, she glared at Hyde over her shoulder. He was definitely up to something, he was too damn smug for comfort.

“Are you alright love?” Hook asked, draping his arm over her shoulders.

“Hyde’s up to something,” Emma muttered absently.

Regina rolled her eyes. “Tell us something we don’t know.”

The microphone shrieked, quietening the muttering of the crowd. Emma shifted position, taking a couple of steps away from the others. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. Although, if she was honest with herself, the feeling of upcoming doom was an almost permanent fixture in her life. She wouldn’t trade her family for anything, but times like this, she remembered why she had wanted to return to New York and normality.

“The previous rally was marred by a cowardly attack, obviously intended to intimidate. I’m pleased to say that attempt has failed,” Hyde opened. “Alexander, former king and proven ruler, will now speak first.”

Hyde stepped back and Alexander took his space at the podium. “Good morning Storybrooke,” Alexander greeted. “Most of you know me. For those of you that don’t, I was Mitchell Herman under the first dark curse. In the Enchanted Forest I was, as Mr. Hyde said, King Alexander.”

“First I want to speak to you about another former king, King George, known as Albert Spencer under the curse. He has been imprisoned in the asylum beneath the hospital since shortly after the first dark curse broke. It is an asylum, not a prison and he never had a trial, there was no chance for him to defend himself. He stood accused of murder, but no evidence was ever presented,” Alexander explained passionately.

“What is he talking about?” Snow gasped. “David told me about that, George killed Billy and tried to frame Ruby for it.”

“Wait for it,” Regina said, gesturing towards Alexander. She sighed deeply, they didn’t have to wait long.

“The so-called leaders of this town ....” Alexander continued.

“Oh here we go,” David muttered. Snow squeezed his hand reassuringly.

Emma crossed her arms and glared at Alexander. She hadn’t been around for the King George incident, she had been trapped alongside Snow in the Enchanted Forest. It felt like another lifetime ago, so much had happened since. Idly she wondered where George had spent the year, when everyone had gone back to the Enchanted Forest. Perhaps he had sought sanctuary with an old ally - Alexander. It would explain why Alexander remembered him, everyone else had forgotten the former deposed king.

“It’s alright mate,” Hook clapped David on the shoulder. “I ...”

Hook was cut off by an inhuman wail from behind the crowd. Everyone turned, Emma blinked and her jaw dropped. It was King George, or Albert Spencer as she had known him. He was standing in the middle of the street, his once sharp suit now nothing more than rags. The jacket was missing, and the white shirt was now dirty grey. The trouser pants were ripped and he wasn’t wearing shoes.

“What the hell?” David stepped forward.

George growled and sprinted forward. David held out his hands, but George just barreled straight into him, sending them both crashing to the ground. David bucked and kicked but George punched him in the face, stunning him momentarily, long enough for him to wrap his hands around David’s throat.

Snow screamed, Regina raised her hand to blast him but Hook jumped in the way, wrapping his arms around George and trying to pry him off David.

“Let him go!” Hook yelled.

George didn’t move, seemingly not even noticing Hook frantically trying to pull him backwards. Hook was throwing all his weight into it and George didn’t move a millimeter. David was choking, scrabbling at George’s hands and ineffectively, weakly kicking.

“Hook move!” Emma commanded.

Hook let go, falling back onto the ground. Regina blasted George away. He rolled to his feet and went to charge forward again. Emma froze him in place. Snow fell to her knees next to David.

“I’m alright,” David croaked, gasping for breath. He coughed and rubbed his bruised throat.

“Yarr,” a man with a sword let loose a war cry. It was the same man that they had seen previously attack Doc’s Miata. He drew his sword and lunged forward.

“No!” Emma shouted, but it was too late.

The man skewered George, right through the heart. His sword going through him, from the back to the front. Shocked, Emma lost control of the magic freezing George and he slumped to the ground, dead. She swallowed hard, eyes wide, her breathing quickened. George had been killed, while she had frozen him in place. He had been defenseless.

Hook grabbed her and pulled her against his chest, wrapping her in his arms. “It’s alright love, it’s not your fault,” he murmured against her.

“What the hell did you do that for?” Regina demanded. “and who the hell are you?”

“Don Quixote, at your service,” Don Quixote bowed, with a flourish. “You are most welcome by the way. All in a days work for a hero.”

“A hero? Heroes don’t kill,” Snow told him, her tone horrified. Carefully, she helped David to his feet.

“A hero is chivalrous, he rights wrongs and brings justice to the world,” Don Quixote declared. “It is a heroes duty to intervene, and today I have done my duty. My lady love Dulcinea will be most pleased.” He bowed again and jauntily jogged away.

Regina raised an eyebrow. “He’s going to be a problem.”

*****

Jekyll worried at his thumbnail. He paced up and down the corridor outside the mayor’s office. He hadn’t managed to summon up the courage to step inside and confront Hyde - yet. However, he knew that he must, he knew that he couldn’t let this continue. He had been in the crowd at the rally, he had seen the state of the former King George.

That was Hyde’s work, he would recognize the aggression serum anywhere. Oh, he was sure that George had been half mad from the isolation already, likely fixated on the one that he had blamed for his problems - David. However, it was the aggression serum that had turned him into the strong beast. Even with his slight, half-starved form, he had managed to subdue David, and ignore Captain Hook’s ineffectual attempt at physically removing him.

He couldn’t stand to see such a sight again. He couldn’t stand back and watch people suffer because of him, because he couldn’t control himself. Since arriving in this land he had read the book of the _‘Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’_ and it was rather alarming how fundamentally wrong it was.

The book had showed Jekyll slowing turning into Hyde, and unable to revert. Actually, the reverse was true. He had always been dominate, that is why Hyde had to install guards who forced potions down his throat so they could ‘speak to the warden’. He had desperately wanted to split from Hyde, he had hated feeling him underneath his skin.

All Jekyll had wanted was peace, all Hyde wanted was an end to the ‘battle against his better self’ because it was a battle he would always ultimately lose. No wonder Hyde was thrilled when he had perfected the formula. He could then do everything he wanted, without fear that he would be subdued. Jekyll had been a coward, he could see that now and it had to stop.

Jekyll took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Hyde was standing behind the desk, framed by the light pouring through the window. He turned at Jekyll’s entrance and softly chuckled.

“I suspected I would be seeing you today,” Hyde said. “What can I do for you Jekyll?”

“It has to stop,” Jekyll stated shakily. He moved further into the office. “You know what will happen if this continues. I can’t let you do this.”

Hyde sighed. “How precisely are you planning on stopping me?”

“You know how,” Jekyll told him. “I don’t want to die Hyde, I don’t think you do either.”

“Ah yes, the one flaw in your formula,” Hyde noted regretfully. “We are both. If I die, then you die, as we are one, even though we are split. Can’t separate a soul it seems.”

Jekyll stepped closer, and Hyde didn’t move to stop him. Emboldened Jekyll placed his hands on Hyde’s shoulders. Hyde still didn’t move and Jekyll realized that he couldn’t, because he was already in control. Jekyll could always have stopped Hyde, he had just never had the courage before. However, witnessing how far Hyde would go was enough to snap him back to reality and make him face facts. This wasn’t just about him anymore, about his struggle, it was about everyone that Hyde would hurt if he wasn’t stopped.

It was time to bring an end to Mr. Hyde

As soon as Jekyll thought it, they both began to shake. Hyde flashed red, the color of the magic that had spawned him. Jekyll pulled him closer, almost embracing his ‘worst self’ and he felt Hyde flow back inside him. He was accepting him back, they were becoming one. In doing so he humanized Hyde but all magic came with a price, and he had to accept the aspects of Hyde that he had always pushed away, as being part of him.

It wasn’t an easy thing to do, and part of him rebelled at accepting those qualities. It’s that which had led to the creation of Hyde in the first place, so he persevered. A few moments later and the magic faded, Jekyll gasped and staggered back. He leant heavily against the desk, panting for breath. A slow smile spread across his face. He could no longer feel Hyde under his skin, not in the same way as he had been for so many years.

He was free and he was alive. He almost felt like a new man, he had faced his fears and found the acceptance that had eluded him his entire life. Jekyll shook his head slightly at his giddiness, he knew the future would be difficult and he would have to be careful not to backslide. However, he had made a great leap forward today, he’d finally found some courage for a start.

Jekyll pushed himself to his feet and shakily moved towards the door. He would need to tell David, Snow and the others who had been so kind to him. They deserved to know that Hyde would no longer be a problem. However, halfway to the door a swirl of smoke stopped him in his tracks. His eyes widened and he took an involuntary step back.

“I see you know who I am,” the Evil Queen smirked. “Good.”

“I knew .. I knew that you .. you couldn’t be dead,” Jekyll stammered. “This isn’t right you know, I ... I should never have invented that serum. Regina can still take you back. It would be for the best.”

The Evil Queen raised her hand and twisted it sharply, snapping Jekyll’s neck cleanly. He slumped to the ground, dead. She waved her hand over him, transforming his body into dust, which she then vanished.

She shook her head. “Oh but my dear Dr. Jekyll, I don’t want to be taken back.”

Meanwhile down in the underworld, King Arthur stood by the river, waiting for the next new arrival. Jekyll stumbled out of the boat and onto the bank.

Arthur smiled. “Welcome Dr. Jekyll, I’ve been waiting for you.”

*****

Another shockwave passed through the mirror room. Belle looked around fearfully, she was past curious and heading towards full blown terror about that now. It felt violent, it felt unstable and it didn’t feel natural to whatever hellscape this was. Although, this was supposed to be the punishment of a sleeping curse, perhaps inducing paranoia with strange phenomena was part of it. However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was something else.

“Belle I know I ... but I thought ... your mother ... at peace. I don’t know if ... but as ... tippy stone ... better place,” Rumplestiltskin’s voice echoed down, around the small mirrored room.

Belle bit her lip, he was talking to her again and this time about her mother? She focused on the words, and played them back in her mind. She had only been in the underworld for a few days, and the entire time her thoughts had been consumed by the problems at hand. She was ashamed now she thought about it, that she hadn’t spared a single thought for her mother.

However, it seemed that her husband had remembered Colette. He had checked on her mother for her, and broken though his message was, it sounded like her mother was at peace. For a long time she had blamed herself for her mothers death. She had never regained her memories of what had happened to her, the memory stone had been lost in Arendelle and that had been her only chance.

Thinking of lost memories made her think of Camelot. The six weeks that could have made a big difference to where they were now. When she had met Rumplestiltskin at the well, she didn’t remember the previous six weeks. It hadn’t been until later, that Regina and Emma had pooled their magic once more and managed to spread the dreamcatcher effect over the town.

Everyone affected by the third dark curse had regained their memories - including her, but by then it was too late. What was done, had been done and she couldn’t take it back. What’s more is that she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to take it back. She hadn’t been wrong in what she had said to Rumplestiltskin at the well.

A mirror swirled, spurred on by her thoughts. When the picture formed it was unsurprisingly of the well. That had been their place, where they had reconciled and where they had been married. Up until that day it had been a place of happy memories, now it was bittersweet.

_“You came. Oh Belle, I’m so glad you’re here. I’m ready to do this right, put the past behind us.” Rumplestiltskin stepped hopefully towards her._

_“Rumple,” Belle sighed. “This isn’t easy for me. I love you and some part of me will always love you, but you’ve broken my heart too many times. There’s just too much broken trust.”_

Belle bit her lip, seeing Rumplestiltskin’s face crumple again, she felt a surge of guilt. However, she shouldn’t feel guilty. It was his actions that had led her to that point, all his lies and embracing the darkness. What was she supposed to do? Condone it. Belle shook her head, no she couldn’t condone him being like that.

_“But I’ve changed. My heart is pure now,” Rumplestiltskin argued._

_“Yeah, you have and it is,” Belle acknowledged. “You’re .. you’re the man that I always hoped you would be.”_

_“Then why are you doing this now? Now we have a chance to make this work,” Rumplestiltskin asked, obviously confused and desperate._

Belle looked away and closed her eyes. She could still hear the scene play out on the mirror but she couldn’t watch the next bit. She had lived it and that was enough. She had once thought that true love was worth fighting for but the problem was love hurt. In that moment she had been honest, she was tired and fighting for true love, it really was more romantic in books. Real life true love wasn’t magical, it was difficult, it was certainly no fairytale romance.

_“I don’t know that I want to make it work, but I do know that I’m going to try and figure that out. I need to do that on my own. I can’t .. I have spent too many years trying to mend your heart. Now I .. I need to protect mine,” Belle told him, before turning and leaving._

The mirror went dark. Belle remembered that she hadn’t wanted Rumplestiltskin to see her cry, and she hadn’t wanted to see him cry either. She had known, that if she had stayed a second longer, that she wouldn’t leave. She had needed to leave, she needed her space and time to think. It was what she always did and that had worked for them in the past.

Perhaps the problem this time had been that she had gone back to him too quickly. After the well, she had her memories returned. She had remembered the six weeks in Camelot without him, worrying about his fate back in Storybrooke. All she had to hold onto, during that time, was the enchanted rose, which steadily lost petals at an increasing rate.

When she had heard that she could have lost him to the underworld, and that he hadn’t said a word to her, instead giving her the chance to follow her dream. She had to go back and see him. It had made her think that he believed that she didn’t love him, and she would always love him. When she had seen him so defeated in the back of his shop, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from kissing him.

Kissing had led to more, which had resulted in their child. Afterwards, before she had drifted off to sleep, she had resolved to tell Rumplestiltskin this had been a one-off and that they needed to talk - a lot, before they could reconcile. However, he had gone off to the underworld, and then once she had been sucked down there, she had learned the truth.

He had lied to her again, he had taken back the darkness and was the dark one again. That had felt like the final straw. She had been so angry but thinking about it now, she could understand his actions a little. She still didn’t condone them but she understood.

She had left him, he didn’t have anyone else. He had been in the same position as she had found him, when he had taken her on as a caretaker at the dark castle. Only this time, he didn’t have his power. He had nothing, and he had been afraid. Rumplestiltskin had never made good decisions when he was scared.

Belle shook her head. Rumplestiltskin was the dark one and he had changed. She had once seen the good in him, and thought he could be a better man. However, his actions after their marriage, the lies and the sorcerers hat debacle had proven the truth. The darkness was embedded in him and she couldn’t condone him being like that.

Maybe they could have reconciled with him as the new man, the hero who had pulled Excalibur from the stone. However, she couldn’t condone him being like that, being the dark one, not anymore. It was over and however much that made her heart hurt, that had to be for the best surely?

She hugged her stomach and thought of their child. If there was one thing Rumplestiltskin had proven, it was that he would do anything for his child. Even if she wasn’t willing to be his wife, she would never keep him from their child. She had seen how Neal had turned out. Rumplestiltskin had made mistakes, and it had resulted in pushing Neal away. However, it hadn’t resulted in Neal turning dark.

If nothing else she didn’t have to worry about his influence over their child. She might have to worry about what he would do in their child’s name, or the name of protecting them. If only he hadn’t changed. He hadn’t always been like this, had he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's not Tuesday but in my mind having the chapter early, was better than having it late. Next update should be next Tuesday as normal.


	10. Chapter 10

The land of untold stories wasn’t completely without it’s charms. The ability to go into a tavern, order a drink or three, and be able to drown his sorrows in peace was rather nice. Nobody recognized him here. If they knew of the dark one it would be his imp form, not the Mr. Gold look he’d now worn for over thirty years.

Back in Storybrooke he had his liquor cabinet, which provided the alcohol. However, there was something to be said for drinking anonymously in a crowd. He was surrounded by people, yet completely alone. The low buzz of conversation provided a small distraction from his maudlin thoughts, anything to keep from dwelling on the situation he was in.

Rumplestiltskin recognized the name of this establishment, the Benbow Inn, it was from Treasure Island. That was a story he had played no part in. From what he remembered from his cursed memories, there was nothing within that story that would help him either. For all that he was here to forget, he was also on the lookout for anything or anyone that could help.

He needed to find something he could use, or see something that would spark an idea. He really couldn’t bear to fail another child.

The inn overlooked the harbor. Rumplestiltskin gazed out of the window, airships were popular here but there were many traditional ships as well. He felt a pang in his heart at how much Belle would have loved this place. It was so different and she would have wanted to explore everywhere. He could only imagine how thrilled she would have been to ride in an airship.

He shook his head and took another deep pull of his mead. Rumplestiltskin’s eyes narrowed as his gaze caught sight of a figure on the horizon. There was nothing particularly strange about someone standing in a harbor, there was also nothing strange about them looking through a telescope. What was slightly strange is that telescope wasn’t pointed out to sea, it was pointed directly at the Benbow Inn.

Somebody was watching the place. Rumplestiltskin drained his tankard and rose from his seat. Anything that was odd, was of interest to him. Casually he wandered out of the inn and strolled over in the direction of the watcher. His lip curled, the man was dressed like a pirate, though thankfully not in leather. Instead he favored a green jacket, with gold trim. He was leaning heavily on a staff, taking the weight off his peg-leg.

“Let me guess, you’re watching a pretty girl?” Rumplestiltskin asked, letting his disdain shine through.

The man laughed hoarsely. “No.” He lowered the telescope and ran his eyes over Rumplestiltskin. “You’re not from round here. Where you from?”

“The Enchanted Forest via the land without magic,” Rumplestiltskin answered easily. “Long story. Who are you watching?”

“Don’t think that’s any of your business.” The man turned to leave.

“Perhaps I should go back to the inn and report your interest. I’m sure they’d like to know someone in there has a stalker,” Rumplestiltskin stated calmly.

This man, whoever he was, had piqued his interest now and he wanted to know his story or at least his name. Names had power after all. Rumplestiltskin wasn’t surprised to see the man’s shoulders tense, and for him to stop.

The man let out a deep sigh and turned back. “You got your story, I’ve got mine. I’m out here, and not in there, for a reason.” He whistled through his teeth and stared at Rumplestiltskin. “Do you have children?”

Rumplestiltskin swallowed hard. He nodded. “Two.” His eyes narrowed, his quick mind running over the possibilities, there was only one that made immediate sense. Although he had thought that the man was dead. “Long John Silver?”

Long John Silver blinked in surprise. “Aye. How’d you know that?”

“The land without magic is full of tales,” Rumplestiltskin said glibly. “You’re watching Jim Hawkins, why?”

“Why do you care?” Long John Silver retorted.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. He didn’t know why he cared, it was just a gut feeling. For years he had collected information, he had played a part in so many stories, all following the path to finding Bae. He no longer had the gift of sight but perhaps some part of it remained, or maybe it was his own magic prodding him forward. Whatever it was, he knew this was a story that he needed to hear.

“I had a son and I lost him. I did find him but .. he died,” Rumplestiltskin explained haltingly. “My second born is now also in a precarious position. I ...”

“I understand,” Long John Silver breathed. “More than you could know.”

“Tell me, please,” Rumplestiltskin begged.

“I have lived two lives,” Long John Silver started slowly. “Tell me have you ever heard of the lord of the underworld, Hades?”

“Our paths have crossed,” Rumplestiltskin said, with more than a hint of bitterness.

He eyed Long John Silver curiously, that was not at all what he expected him to say. There was no hint in the land without magic tale of ‘Treasure Island’ to say that Hades had been involved. Although, he did know that the tales were highly inaccurate, after all his own involvement wasn’t acknowledged in most of them.

“What did Hades do?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

Long John Silver sighed heavily, and cast a pain-filled glance over at the Benbow Inn. “He promised me peace and instead gave me a second chance.”

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_A few decades ago probably_

“I have your crystal.” Captain Nemo raised the shard he had found in the heart of Atlantis.

Hades smirked and reached for it. Warily Nemo handed it over and Hades breathed, like an addict getting a fix, the moment his fingers brushed the crystal shard. It was indeed the missing piece of the Olympian Crystal that he had been searching for ever since he had realized it was missing. His brother Zeus had thought it was safe among the mortals of Atlantis. He had been wrong.

This was only step one, he still couldn’t fix the crystal until he restarted his heart. Only a kiss of true love would do that and currently there were no prospects. No one was more hated than the lord of the underworld and true love was rare and magical. There was a lot of power in true love, only a few people ever got to experience it for themselves.

Fortunately Hades had nothing but time. He could wait centuries for his true love and then he would repair the crystal, and his wretched brother would finally suffer as he deserved.

“You promised me peace,” Nemo reminded him.

“Ah yes,” Hades breathed. “This crystal is only a fragment but it should have enough power.”

Hades raised the crystal and pressed it against Nemo’s forehead. Nemo screamed, and screamed, he would have fallen to the ground if the magic wasn’t holding him. The magic coursed through him, frying his memories. Nemo would have the peace he wanted, in the form of a blank clean slate. He would remember nothing.

“I always keep my word,” Hades murmured, his lips twitched with humor. “In a manner of speaking.”

This could be an interesting experiment, a test to see if anything of Nemo did survive. It would be very illuminating to see if Nemo went on to repeat past mistakes, once he had rebuilt some semblance of life for himself. Hades pulled the crystal away and Nemo collapsed to his knees, panting for breath.

Nemo rubbed his sore throat. “Who are you? Where am I? Who am I?” Nemo asked, in increasing panic.

“I’m Hades, lord of the underworld,” Hades introduced himself with a flourish.

He set his hair ablaze with the trademark blue flame. Nemo’s eyes widened and he fell backwards, scrambling to get away from Hades, much to Hades delight. He waved his hand and smoke engulfed them both. When it cleared they were no longer on the Nautilus, instead on the shore of the nearest convenient land, the land of untold stories.

“Who am I?” Nemo repeated, looking around fearfully.

Hades stroked his chin thoughtfully. Names had power, they could shape someone’s destiny. Who was Captain Nemo now? Who would he become? It was a heady feeling of power. Hades shivered in delight.

“Your name is ...” Hades paused for dramatic effect. “Long John Silver.”

_~Flashback~_

*****

“My son was killed by the Empire. I could have saved him but I went treasure hunting instead,” Long John Silver’s mouth twisted with regret. “After that I lived for vengeance, but it was never enough. My boy was dead, and nothing I did against the Empire could change that.”

Rumplestiltskin swallowed and bit the inside of his cheek hard. He looked away, he wouldn’t cry, not now, not in front of this stranger, for all that his tale resonated. After Bae’s death, Rumplestiltskin had looked for vengeance. He didn’t know how Zelena had survived and he would have killed her again if he’d had the power. However, even if he had killed her a thousand times it wouldn’t have been enough, Bae would still be dead.

“I sometimes wonder if Hades set me up to repeat my ‘tragic past’,” Long John Silver spat. “A son or my treasure. Jim,” he nodded towards the inn. “I hurt him, I know I did but in the end I did make a better choice than before. I saved him and I let him go.”

“Isn’t that enough?” Rumplestiltskin asked hoarsely. _‘Please let that be enough,’_ he thought.

“It ended better,” Long John Silver shrugged. “But it still burns because saving Jim, doesn’t change the fact that I failed my boy.”

Rumplestiltskin licked his lips. “Perhaps it's time that you forgive yourself,” he suggested hesitantly.

Now he knew why his gut had told him to listen to this story. They were no coincidences in life, everything had a purpose and there was meaning to this conversation. It was hovering just out of reach, like a revelation that was waiting just beyond the horizon, to move up like the dawning of the sun in the morning. There was a lesson for him to learn here, if he was willing to open his mind and listen.

“Have you forgiven yourself for your boy?” Long John Silver asked bluntly.

“No,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. “Successes are fleeting, failures are forever. Some things can't be forgiven.”

“Aye.” Long John Silver lowered his head in agreement. “That’s why I’m out here, that’s why I never go inside. I just watch, I just need to make sure he’s alright.”

Rumplestiltskin’s quick mind raced, trying to draw the conclusion and coming to a very unhappy realization. Was this a harbinger of the future? Was he doomed to watch Belle and their child from afar? Belle might be angry and might no longer love him, however he was certain that she would never keep him from their child. It was the one thing she had acknowledged in the underworld, that _‘no one will fight for a child like its father, you’ve proven that much’_.

That wasn’t the point though was it. The question wasn’t whether Belle would keep him from their child, it was more whether he should be around their child at all. He was the dark one, he had hurt Bae badly and driven him away as the dark one. True, that was when the curse was new and he hadn’t been able to control it. He was a different man now but was he different enough?

Would he just repeat past mistakes?

“Why don’t you go inside?” Rumplestiltskin asked, after a long moment.

Long John Silver looked at him, his eyes flickered over his face and Rumplestiltskin held his breath. He needed this answer more than he needed air right now. He was still waiting for that shining moment of clarity, when his mind went supersonic and everything suddenly made sense, the future unfolding like a road map. Until he knew why, he wouldn’t know for certain whether he had reached the right conclusion, and he really hoped he was wrong. This couldn’t be the lesson he was here to learn, he didn’t want that future.

“From one father to another.” Long John Silver smiled sadly.

Rumplestiltskin let out the breath he’d been holding. Whatever Long John Silver had been looking for in his expression, he’d obviously found it.

“I won’t go inside because I’m afraid. To be honest it’s more that I’m afraid that they will accept me, than I’m afraid that I’ll be rejected. I don’t know if I deserve to be happy,” Long John Silver admitted, with absolute honesty.

There was a roaring in Rumplestiltskin’s ears. Was it that simple? Did it all come down to belief? Unbidden the memory of his final moments in the shop came to mind. He had been dying, what little remained of Rumplestiltskin was going to be gone, and the dark one was all that was going to remain. Isaac’s alternate world had failed, that had written the darkness out of the story and it had been his last hope. Then like an angel, Belle had appeared before him.

_“Why wasn’t it good enough?” Belle asked him._

_“Because I didn’t believe it,” Rumplestiltskin admitted. “Who could ever love me?”_

_“I knew what I was getting Rumple. I wasn’t going to pull back,” Belle told him._

Rumplestiltskin shook his head, banishing the memory but it had done it’s work. His lack of belief in himself, and in his love with Belle is what had doomed their marriage. It’s what had doomed their relationship from the very beginning, from the moment he had felt the pull of the magic of true loves kiss.

 _‘Because no-one, no-one, could ever, ever love me.’_ had been what he had screamed at Belle, shaking her in the great hall of the dark castle. He had been so afraid, he’d needed his magic to find Bae and he hadn’t believed that true love could be possible, not for somebody like him. Even just moments ago he had doubted himself, thinking that perhaps it would be better if he did leave as Maurice had asked.

He was scared, he was terrified because he couldn’t screw it up again. If there was one thing Rumplestiltskin couldn’t bear, it was repeating past mistakes. He had hurt Bae, he had lost him and now Bae was dead. He couldn’t survive if that happened again. Belle and their child meant everything to him, they were his world, and without them he was truly dust.

“Go,” Rumplestiltskin said suddenly and with more confidence than he felt. “Go and see Jim. Perhaps the likes of you and me can never truly forgive ourselves, because we need the reminder of what we must do better. See Jim, if he forgives you, let it be enough.”

Long John Silver looked dubious but then a hopeful look flashed across his face. He stepped forward, towards the inn before hesitantly. He turned back and shook his head. “I can’t.”

Rumplestiltskin nodded at him encouragingly. “From one father to another,” he repeated, sending Long John Silver’s own words back to him. “Go on, it’s been long enough,” Rumplestiltskin pushed.

“I don’t know,” Long John Silver mumbled. He sighed and looked wistfully at the inn, before straightening and taking a deep breath. “It’s been long enough,” he repeated to himself and without a backwards glance at Rumplestiltskin, he started striding towards the inn.

“Please let it be enough,” Rumplestiltskin muttered, following a few steps behind.

He had a good vantage point through the window, when Long John Silver pushed open the door. A young man was behind the bar, he dropped the bottle he was holding the moment he saw who had just entered. Rumplestiltskin watched, waited, there was a long moment and then Jim Hawkins all but vaulted over the bar and wrapped Long John Silver in his arms, hugging the old man for all he was worth.

Rumplestiltskin sagged in relief. It was enough. He felt like laughing hysterically. It was something that was so simple and yet the concept had eluded him for so long. He had known it intellectually but he had never felt it in his heart up till now. It was enough, he was enough, whatever life he could make with Belle and their child - it would be enough.

He still didn’t have a way to wake Belle, but this had given him something he had needed slightly more in this moment - hope. He was doing his best and he would find the answer. It was enough.

*****

The notice board outside city hall had become the place for them to meet. Regina looked at her assembled family of sorts; Henry, Snow, David, Emma. Hook was also there, with his arm around Emma like normal. He might be Emma’s choice but he was certainly not family.

A crowd was starting to build as the townspeople waited for the final speeches, before the doors opened and the ballot boxes were set out. Hopefully it would be third time lucky with the speeches and nothing would disrupt them this time. There had been enough vipers and insane former monarchs for one election.

“Election day,” Snow breathed. She squeezed Regina’s hand reassuringly. “You alright?”

Regina pursed her lips, cracked her neck and nodded. “I’m ready.”

“We’re not going into battle Regina,” Emma reminded her. Regina raised an eyebrow. “We’re letting the people decide remember.”

“I remember,” Regina snapped defensively.

She drew in a deep breath and smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles of her outfit. This was ridiculous, she shouldn’t feel this nauseatingly nervous. It had been a long time since she had longed for the approval of a kingdom, or a town as Storybrooke was. Rumplestiltskin had once cast a glamour spell, disguising her as an ordinarily peasant and she had walked among her people. It had been then that she had realized that they would never love her.

 _‘The Queen is dead. Long live The Evil Queen’_ had been what she had declared, staring into the mirror in the entrance of the dark castle. It had been easier to embrace the identity and pretend like it didn’t matter, than it had to attempt to change. They already thought she was evil, it was what they expected, so it was what she gave them.

Regina didn’t expect the town to love her but she did hope that they would vote for her, that her record as mayor would stand for itself. If Hyde won then it would be a temporary victory for him, he was an outsider, and she doubted he would last. His villainous intentions would become known before too long and then hopefully the town would invite her back.

The real question was what if Alexander won? His campaign had been damaged rather badly after campaigning for fairness for King George, and then having George go all berserker and attempt to murder David in front of a very large crowd. It hardly painted George as the innocent victim of a miscarriage of justice, as Alexander had claimed.

However, the accusations that Alexander and his family had leveled were uncomfortably close to the truth. They had all been so caught up, lurching from one crisis to another, that the day-to-day running of this cursed town had rather fallen by the way side. The ordinary citizens needed their leadership, not just their protection. They had lost the trust of the town, this election was a test to see if the town would give them a chance to regain it.

“Hyde’s not going to win, good always wins,” Snow stated firmly and with absolute belief.

“He hasn’t been seen recently,” David pointed out. “Maybe he’s decided to bow out gracefully.”

“There’s still Alexander and he’s the real competition,” Regina said darkly.

She looked around again, her eyes scanning the growing crowd. When she had spoken to Zelena this morning, her sister had been adamant that she would be attending. Regina had been hesitant, these rallies had been trouble magnets and baby Robyn was still so small. Zelena had pointed out that Snow had brought baby Neal, which was true. Regina had always struggled with being overprotective and so she had agreed. However, now Zelena wasn’t here and Regina felt her absence keenly.

Zelena was her sister, her only actual blood family. Henry was her son and would always come first, but she hoped that with time she and Zelena would grow closer. They had both lost their true loves on the same day, they had made similar mistakes and Zelena was now starting on the path to redemption that Regina had walked. Zelena’s support today would mean a lot and Regina hoped that she would get here soon.

“Alexander’s not going to win either. He hasn’t been stepping up to save this town, you have.” Snow brandished one of Regina’s flyers, which had the illustration from Henry showing the battle against the Fury.

“He has kept to himself until it suited him, the town has to realize that,” David said. Baby Neal started fussing and he lifted him out of his carrier, smiling wildly at him. Neal gurgled happily as David bounced him.

Regina smiled at the sight and looked around again for Zelena. Alexander was on the city steps but there was still no sign of Hyde, it appeared that this was going to be a two-way race. No point in voting for a candidate that didn’t bother to show up. The microphone shrieked and Regina winced, they were just doing that on purpose now to quieten the crowd.

Snow gave her a reassuring nod. Regina took a deep breath and strode forward, moving through the crowd to the steps. Once there she looked down at the assembled crowd and beyond, to the street that led to her house but there was no-one walking this way. Regina sighed she could guess what had happened, Robyn had started screaming, perhaps needed a diaper change and Zelena had been overwhelmed. Whatever the reason, Zelena wasn’t coming.

Alexander stepped up to the podium. “Good morning Storybrooke. It appears that Mr. Hyde isn’t going to be joining us. Today is election day, there are two candidates, myself and Regina Mills, the supposedly former Evil Queen.”

“I prefer incumbent mayor,” Regina corrected, rolling her eyes.

“Yes, I suppose you would,” Alexander smirked. “This election has been beset by tragedy and sabotage from the beginning. I know you have all heard from me personally, so there is no need for me to give you a speech. Instead I’ll give you a testimonial.”

Alexander beckoned to the left for someone to join him at the podium. Regina blinked in surprise at who it was - August Booth, otherwise known as Pinocchio. Rumplestiltskin had transformed him back into the man he had grown up to be, during their search for the author. Afterwards, he had stayed at the convent recovering for a time before moving back home with his father.

Regina saw Marco, or Geppetto as he was also known, in the crowd looking at his boy with pride. She frowned, they had been allies of Snow and David, they had been the ones to craft the enchanted wardrobe which had allowed Emma to escape the dark curse as a newborn baby. It was certainly the best kind of testimonial Alexander could muster, someone that should be on the side of the opposition.

“I’m August Booth, now you know if I lie, my nose grows.” August gave a self-deprecating shrug. “My father was close with Snow White and Prince James in the old world, you know them as Mary Margaret and David Nolan here. That is exactly my point, this town wouldn’t exist without the dark curse. My father was on their war council, about defending our world from her.” August pointed at Regina. “Now, they are supporting her?”

“Regina has changed,” Snow yelled.

August shook his head. “She was there when Rumplestiltskin tortured me for information on the author, that was only a few months ago.”

Snow opened her mouth to object again, David grabbed her arm and shook his head. Regina couldn’t hear what he whispered, but she could guess it was something along the lines of ‘let him finish’. Regina shifted uncomfortably, August’s words were hard to refute because they were true. The fact that she had been undercover, with the goal of making sure the Queen’s of Darkness and Rumplestiltskin didn’t do anything irreversible, was unlikely to go over well.

Heroes were supposed to stop all bad things, not get their hands dirty doing some bad things, in order to ensure that worse things didn’t happen. That was why she had gone, and not anyone else. Neither Snow or David would have kidnapped August, or stood by and watched him suffer. She had helped him get away, that should count for something.

“In the old world King Alexander was a just and fair ruler of a neighboring kingdom to mine,” August continued. “My father never heard a bad word about him, he proved himself in the Enchanted Forest, and he can prove himself here if we give him a chance. Storybrooke deserves a leader that will put the people first, and not just those they call family. Thank you.”

August stepped away from the podium. Someone started to clap and then applause rippled through the crowd. Alexander leaned closer to her, his breath hot against her ear. Regina recoiled slightly and heard him chuckle.

“Good idea ensuring your wicked sister didn’t attend. That’s about the only smart move you’ve made in this election,” Alexander whispered.

Regina glared at him and moved towards the podium. She swallowed hard, from up here the crowd looked rather hostile and Alexander was right. Regina was suddenly grateful that Zelena wasn’t here. An outburst from her sister wouldn’t have helped, and it would have given Alexander more ammunition to use against her.

She saw David hand baby Neal to Emma and then he started to push his way through the crowd, Snow’s hand tightly clutched in his. Regina waited, grateful when they moved up to stand beside her. Alexander had his testimonial, and she would have hers. The only problem was she wasn’t sure it was enough. August was a writer and he had crafted his words well.

David looked at Snow, who shook her head slightly. He looked at her more forcefully, his eyes flickering to the microphone and back again. Snow shook her head again and David looked panicked for a brief moment. He nodded and moved directly in front of the microphone and looked at the assembled crowd for a long moment.

“People of Storybrooke ...” David paused, clearly scrambling for what to say. He looked at Snow again but she just gestured for him to continue. He sighed and shrugged. “August is completely right, I agree with everything he said.”

Regina’s jaw dropped and she heard Snow gasp. A muttering spread throughout the crowd, as the disbelief spread. David held up his hand and waited, and after a few moments silence reigned one more. He smiled and nodded.

“I can understand your disbelief but my mother taught me that the measure of a man, wasn’t in his perfection but in his ability to admit when he was wrong. Mistakes have been made, that much is clear. However, what I would hope is also clear, is that everything that has been done has been with the very best of intentions.”

David’s voice grew stronger, the longer he continued. He was speaking from the heart and that showed. Regina hadn’t realized that David had felt this way but thinking about it, she wasn’t surprised. He was generally quiet at the family meetings, letting Snow do most of the talking and make the decisions.

“I know there is a saying in this world, that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” David shrugged. “However, our intentions, who we are as people, whether we are good or evil, is all we can control. We can’t control what happens, all we can do is our best.”

He paused and looked apologetically at Regina. “When I tell you that Regina has changed, I don’t ask you to believe my words, I ask you to believe her actions. Very recently her true love, Robin Hood, was murdered in the building behind me. If she was still the Evil Queen, that you couldn’t trust, would she not have sought revenge? Instead she has kept doing her job, the job you all asked her to do.”

Now David looked over at August, and Geppetto. He gave them an understanding smile. “August raised some valid points so I will address them. Yes when August was being tortured by Rumplestiltskin, Regina was there. In that precise moment, there was nothing she could do for him. She faced a choice between what was right and what was easy. It would have been easy to have tried to protect him but she would have failed. Regina is powerful but she couldn’t have fought the Queen’s of Darkness and Rumplestiltskin alone. However, at the first available opportunity, she assured August’s rescue.”

“I placed my faith in Regina long ago, and time and again she has proven it wasn’t misplaced. Yes, we fought against her in the Enchanted Forest but that was thirty years ago. Think about how much all of you have changed in that time. We’re not storybook heroes and villains, we’re real people with our own families, lives and petty concerns. However, Regina has dedicated herself, as have I - and Snow, to protecting this town. Do we always get it right? No, but we’ll always try. Thank you.”

David stepped back and Regina held her breath. A moment later the crowd erupted not just into applause, but they were cheering as well. Henry was jumping up and down at the back, beaming at them. He shot her a thumbs up and Regina winked at him, feeling very light of heart. Alexander might have had a good testimonial, but David had just given a rousing speech in her favor.

“David .. you don’t really think ....” Snow started to ask hesitantly.

“We’ll talk about it at home,” David said softly. “But yeah I do.”

“Intentions are meaningless,” Regina muttered, repeating the words Rumplestiltskin had thrown at her when they were in New York.

“Intentions are everything,” David disagreed. “But no matter how good our intentions, that’s no reason for us not to admit our own mistakes.”

“But David ...” Snow objected.

David shook his head. “We’ve hurt people Snow. Haven’t you been listening to what the townspeople have been saying? What our friends have been saying? They aren’t entirely wrong.”

Alexander moved back to the podium. Regina was pleased to see he looked a lot less confident than he had earlier. He shot them an uncertain glance before tapping the microphone. “Voting is now open,” he announced.

The doors to city hall were opened and the crowd started streaming forward. Regina, David and Snow moved to get out of the way and rejoin the others.

“You were great Gramps,” Henry enthused. “I thought you said Grandma was the one for public speeches though?”

David looked at Snow, who was pointedly ignoring him and cooing over baby Neal. “Sometimes speeches have more of an impact, if they come from a certain person,” he explained hesitantly.

“Well I was convinced mate,” Hook said.

“Yeah,” Emma agreed reluctantly. She forced a smile. “I suppose we should go and cast our votes?”

Regina frowned, Emma was subdued even for her lately. She would speak with her later, privately, she thought she could guess what the problem was but she wasn’t sure. “Well every vote does count.”

“I’m not old enough to vote,” Henry complained.

The group started to move towards the doors of city hall. Regina bit her lip to stop herself from saying something corny, like Henry’s vote was the only one that mattered. Instead she put her arm round him and gave him a half hug as they walked. He smiled at her and for a moment all was right in the world. Then he pulled away and Regina felt the warmth go with him.

She looked through the crowd, searching for Jekyll. She hadn’t felt right since she had split herself, it was more than just losing the Evil Queen part of her. Regina was starting to believe splitting herself had been a mistake, and an unnecessary one. Her actions the last few years had been with the Evil Queen inside her.

Regina had made the choice to do good everyday, and hated every moment, but there was something to be said for feeling the agonizing nature of that choice. Now, she either didn’t feel much at all, or she felt too much. David would have given that speech even if she hadn’t split herself. She might never be redeemed in her eyes but perhaps that was the point.

Snow had forgiven her, David had forgiven her, this vote would determine what the town thought, and her own regret would have ensured she stayed on the right path. With Jekyll’s serum she had been given the choice between what was right and what was easy, and she had chosen what was easy. Now it turned out that was harder to live with, than what she had thought was the harder path.

Splitting had been a mistake, killing the Evil Queen had been an even worse mistake. Some things couldn’t be undone and that was perhaps one of them. She had said she didn’t need the Evil Queen _‘You need me.’ ‘No, I don’t.’_ but the truth was she did need her, because she wasn’t herself if she denied her past. It had been thrown in her face repeatedly this week, she would never be free of it because it was part of her.

She needed to find Dr. Jekyll. Regina hated asking for help but she had a feeling she needed it.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina pushed open the door to her home and was met with silence. She cautiously stepped forward and peered round through the open doors into the lounge. Zelena was standing there, rocking baby Robyn in her arms. Regina breathed a sigh of relief, she had imagined coming home to a disaster zone so seeing that Zelena had it handled, gave her hope Zelena would master motherhood after all.

“Hi sis,” Zelena greeted brightly. “How was the rally?”

“Surprising, Hyde’s disappeared,” Regina told her. “I thought that you said you were going to be there. Is everything ok?”

“Everything’s fine,” Zelena said sharply. “She is my daughter sis, don’t forget that.”

Regina blinked at the bite in Zelena’s tone, which actually hurt. She had been doing her best to support Zelena and while she understood that Zelena was just being defensive, it still stung. This whole situation was a mess and always had been. Regina would never forget the circumstances of baby Robyn’s conception, but she was trying not to be a hypocrite.

She was trying to give Zelena a chance at redemption, which meant accepting her as baby Robyn’s mother however difficult that might be sometimes. Regina opened her mouth to say something sarcastic, and mask her pain with anger like always but she took a deep breath instead. She really didn’t want to fight.

“I just thought you would be there,” Regina admitted, side-stepping Zelena’s comment altogether, it was just easier.

Zelena looked at her appraisingly before shrugging. “Sorry sis, I thought you meant tonight at the results. I will definitely be there then.”

Before Regina could respond, there was a knock at the door. Regina turned, heels clacking on the marble floor, she went to answer it. She opened the door and saw Emma standing there, slouched over, hands in her pockets.

“You called me,” Emma muttered.

Regina moved back, allowing Emma inside and walked back towards the living room. Regina looked at Zelena meaningfully, her eyes flickering back over to Emma. After a moment Zelena gave an exaggerated look of understanding and nodded.

“Well I can tell where I’m not wanted,” Zelena said sweetly. “I’ll just take my sweet pea up to bed.”

Zelena left the room and Regina pulled the doors closed. She looked thoughtful for a moment before waving her hand, generating a magical pulse. There was a muffled sound of Zelena swearing and Regina smirked. That would teach her sister to attempt to eavesdrop. She turned and saw Emma standing by the fireplace. Her heart lurched at how defeated she looked.

“We don’t charge for sitting,” Regina commented, taking a seat on the couch. She arched an eyebrow at Emma who managed a slight smile and moved to the couch opposite. Emma slumped down in a way that Regina would have told Henry off for sitting.

“You said it was important so ...” Emma trailed off meaningfully, though her tone sounded completely disinterested.

“You’ve changed,” Regina stated bluntly. “You’ve been through a lot and I’m worried about you.”

“Woah, what?” Emma stammered, she couldn’t have looked more shocked if Regina had thrown a fireball at her face.

Emma’s eyes were wide and Regina’s stomach lurched at how unwell Emma looked, how pale she was. She hadn’t said anything so far because Emma had her parents and Hook, she had assumed one of them would talk to her. Also, there had been one crisis after another. It felt like there hadn’t been time to breathe, but Emma was drowning and the guilt threatened to choke her. She should have made time before now.

“I thought for a long time it was because of the darkness. You took that on to save me and I’ll never forget that, but it started before then didn’t it?” Regina asked, her tone laced with sympathy. “I was talking with Henry the other day and I realized nobody ever took the time to talk about Neal.”

“I’m leaving.” Emma stood up and strode quickly to the door. She twisted the handle and pushed, and then pulled but the door didn’t budge. She twisted and glared at Regina. “Open the door!”

“No.” Regina shook her head. “Not until ..”

“You don’t get to talk about Neal, you didn’t know him,” Emma said forcefully, her eyes flashing.

Regina nodded in satisfaction, the anger was a good start, far better than how subdued Emma had been lately. “If anyone knows what it’s like to lose the man they loved, it’s me.”

“I didn’t .. I didn’t mean that,” Emma said apologetically, all the fight going out of her.

She hunched over, and thrust her hands back into her pockets, looking down and refusing to meet Regina’s eyes. Guilt and shame flooded Emma’s features and Regina felt a glimmer of satisfaction, before giving herself a hard mental slap. Robin was dead, his soul obliterated beyond any hope of return, nothing would bring him back.

“Actions have consequences,” Regina murmured, repeating the same words that she had said to Henry.

Emma’s eyes shot up, meeting Regina’s, her expression shocked. It was similar to the shocked expression that Henry had shown when Regina had said exactly the same words to him. However, the shocked expression quickly gave way to resigned acceptance and then relief. Emma knew the truth and finally someone else had acknowledged it as well. An image of Zelena appeared in Regina’s mind, she pushed it away and ignored the obvious parallel, that was different.

“Henry misses him too, you should tell him stories about Neal. I know that ...”

“This isn’t about Neal,” Emma insisted, flopping back onto the couch.

“Not entirely,” Regina allowed. “It’s also about darkness and choices. Love can so easily turn to pain and pain makes us do things ... I cursed an entire realm after .. Daniel.”

“Rumplestiltskin held the darkness longer than all the other dark ones put together, did you know that?” Emma asked suddenly, her eyes and tone distant. “In six weeks I came closer to snuffing out the light than he ever did, all because I couldn’t bear to lose Killian, not after .. you’re right - Neal. I dragged us all to the underworld .. Robin,” Emma’s voice broke. “Mom says that it’s not my fault but ...”

Regina snorted. “With all due respect to Snow, while I have no doubt that she believes that ...”

“Actions have consequences,” Emma interrupted. She sighed heavily, and shot Regina a tortured glance. “You couldn’t live with it. How can I .. how am I supposed to ...” she shook her head. “Then Killian, I love him, I really do and I’m so glad that he’s back and I’m sorry for that but .. I’m not blind, I know he doesn’t like to admit his mistakes.”

Emma sighed heavily again. Regina wasn’t sure what to say, it felt like she was groping in the dark. Some feelings were intense, others were strangely muted. It was because of the split, she could see that now. Splitting herself had been a mistake and one she needed to rectify - if that was still possible. After this she would go and search for Jekyll.

“It just feels so unreal sometimes, like I’m going to wake from a dream at any moment,” Emma admitted.

Regina looked at her sharply. “This is real life Emma, you do know that?”

“Yeah,” Emma replied unconvincingly. “Fairytales are real, magic is real, I do know that, it just took some getting used to and it’s like living in a book. Which we actually did thanks to Isaac, do you know how weird that is?”

“I suppose it’s a little strange,” Regina allowed, smiling faintly at Emma. Emma smiled weakly back and for a moment things felt like they once did. “What you do, or don’t do, with Hook is your business,” Regina said carefully. “I don’t think he’s good enough for you but I support your choice, because you are my friend.”

Emma swallowed and blinked quickly, fighting back tears. Regina searched for a quip to lighten the moment but couldn’t think of one. Instead she pressed on. “You made choices, you hurt people ...”

“I hurt Henry,” Emma said softly. Her mouth twisted. “I don’t like the person I’ve become, some of the things I’ve done.”

“Use that regret to change. It’s what I did and it was working. I should never have split myself,” Regina told her. “I was tired and .. Robin, I shouldn’t have done it and I want to undo it, if I can. I need to find Jekyll.”

“I’ll help,” Emma volunteered quickly. “We can call it Operation _Something_ if you’d like.” She smiled and for the first time the smile, in a long time, the smile reached her eyes, the shadows falling away. She stood and moved to the door again. “I will speak to Henry about Neal,” Emma promised. “Killian might have some stories as well.”

“Good.” Regina waved her hand, unsealing the door and ending the anti-eavesdropping spell. “Let’s go find our son shall we? Get a name for this Operation.”

*****

“Snow, talk to me please,” David pleaded.

He followed Snow into the loft apartment. She had ignored him the entire walk home from city hall and he was getting frustrated. Snow was his true love, and they shared a heart, but that didn’t mean that they were always of one mind. They were both individuals who had once been partners and talked about things.

This was his fault. Not long after the first dark curse broke, he had stood in front of Storybrooke and declared that _‘we are both’_ , he was David and the prince. _‘Storybrooke David was weak and confused’_ he had told them. It was true and it was hard to shake, it was part of him and he realized now it had been far more insidious than he had thought. He had always felt a little inferior to Snow, the shepherd playing Prince.

Snow had always done the talking, he had done the fighting. Snow had been the inspiring leader and he had been the support. In the past they had always talked about decisions before they made them. However, since the curse, he had let Snow take the lead and hadn’t argued even when he thought she was wrong. He hadn’t stood up to her in a long time. If he had, then it wouldn’t have come as such a shock today.

“Snow, we need to talk,” David said firmly.

“I think you’ve said plenty already,” Snow said stiffly, taking baby Neal out of his carrier and putting him into the bouncer he liked. She moved into the kitchen and started to make tea, her rapid movements betraying her anger.

“Tell me I was wrong,” David demanded calmly. “Tell me what you disagreed with.”

“Everything David, everything!” Snow snapped, slamming the teapot down onto the counter.

It made a loud bang and baby Neal stopped bouncing. Snow winced and looked at him, but after he’d stared at her for a moment, he resumed bouncing, apparently content that there was nothing for _him_ at least to cry over.

“We have always done what we believed in, we have always done what was right. We’ve made all the sacrifices and I .. I just don’t understand.” Snow shook her head sadly. “It’s one thing to hear it from someone else David but from you?”

David leant on the counter and sighed. “Do you remember what you said after we found the key to free the author? I was considering lying about it,” he gave a self-deprecating shrug. “Perhaps given what happened next we should have done, but you told me that heroes did what was right, not what was easy. You said that we’d made a mistake with Lily and that we needed to admit to that and ..”

“That was an actual mistake,” Snow interrupted. “What you said today, that was about what we’ve done in defense of this town David. We have been heroes, we have done what was right and you just spat all over that.”

“Defense of this town or defense of our family?” David asked quietly. Snow opened her mouth to object and David held up his hand to stop her. “I’m sorry, Snow. I’m not saying we haven’t done good things, and I’m not saying we didn’t have good intentions. We can’t change what’s happened and I’m not sure I would even if it was possible. All I’m saying is with the benefit of hindsight and perspective, mistakes have been made. We have hurt people, whether we want to believe it or not.”

“You really think that?” Snow said, in a hurt tone, her voice wavering.

David bit back the immediate need to apologize, to bring his wife into his arms and to say that everything was alright. The truth was, everything wasn’t alright and it was time they faced reality. They had been lurching from one crisis to another, there hadn’t been time to consider the consequences, or how things looked to outsiders.

“Actions have consequences,” David said firmly. “I know you want to protect Emma, I do as well.” He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling very tired. “We weren’t there for her growing up but shielding her from her actions now, it’s not going to help her.”

Snow crumpled and nodded slowly. “She’s my baby girl, I just ..”

“I know,” David breathed. “She’ll always be our daughter Snow, we missed so much and we can’t get those years back. She’s a grown woman and it kills me, it really does, but we can’t always protect her.”

“It’s going to destroy her David, what happened to Robin. I don’t know how much more she can take and I’m scared,” Snow admitted.

“Mom is strong, she’ll be fine.”

David’s head shot up, and he and Snow both looked over to the stairs, which Henry was slowly walking down. David blinked, he hadn’t realized that Henry had beat them back to the loft. When they had all gone their separate ways, he hadn’t known where Henry was going. David had assumed that he was with Emma or Regina, and had thought that this conversation was private. That wasn’t Henry’s fault, he had lived here until recently and some of his belongings were still here, he was always welcome.

“Gramps is right,” Henry said, leaning on the end of the counter and looking at them both. “I’ve made mistakes too. I talked with Mom - Regina, about it. She said exactly what Gramps just did, actions have consequences and we need to live with them. Use it to help us do better in the future.”

“Oh Henry sweetie, you haven’t made any mistakes.” Snow put her hand over his and smiled at him reassuringly.

David grimaced and shared a knowing look with Henry. Snow had a big heart and she just wanted people to be happy. She meant well and her optimistic nature, and absolute belief, could keep them going during the bad times. However, it didn’t help in the long run when trying to face the reality of events.

“Thanks Grandma but I have. New York was one big mistake and ...” Henry bit his lip. “I still don’t know how bad it was. I won’t know until Grandpa gets back with Belle.”

“Oh but Henry that wasn’t your fault,” Snow protested again.

“Snow’s partially right,” David agreed. “We bear some responsibility as well.” Snow looked at him puzzled. “Remember what you told Hyde,” David reminded her.

Snow thought for a moment and David saw the moment she remembered. Her eyes opened wide in dawning horror, as she played back what she had told Hyde. Snow mouthed the words, shaking her head lightly in denial, _‘He tried to steal magic from our town to wake the woman he loves. She’s pregnant.’_

“In our defense, it had been a hellish few days. Everyone was out of sorts,” David pointed out. He reached for Snow’s arm but she just shook her head in horror.

“I finally get it now, what you were saying and what Regina has said in the past, _‘evil isn’t born it’s made’_ oh David what did I do?” Snow whimpered and stepped away from the counter.

Unsteadily, she moved to the couch, sitting down and drawing her legs up, hugging them tightly to herself. She stared unseeing into the distance. David closed his eyes for a moment. He had wanted Snow to face facts but he hadn’t wanted to see her upset, his heart ached for her. He had realized recently that they had crossed a line and hadn’t even noticed, Snow was now having that same revelation and it did hurt.

They had put their family first and others had paid the price. He didn’t know Belle all that well but that was beside the point, even if he didn’t know her at all, she was a person, an individual and not just an extension of Rumplestiltskin. David hadn’t objected when he had learned that Emma had blackmailed Rumplestiltskin, using Belle, into taking them to the underworld but he should have. There were a lot of things he should have objected to and hadn’t.

“You’re not doing this,” David stated firmly.

With hindsight what Snow had said to Hyde was quite out of character, it had made her sound like an enemy of love. Snow had been desperate, and hadn’t thought about what she was saying, but that was cold comfort now. David knew Snow, he had watched her withdraw into a spiral of guilt after Cora’s death. He didn’t think it would be anywhere near that bad this time but Snow did have a tendency to overreact. David still remembered the horror he had felt, when Snow confessed she had gone to Regina and offered her heart, thinking Regina would kill her and believing that she deserved it.

“We made decisions, we need to live with them and focus on doing better, not on our regrets.” David looked Snow in the eye and knelt in front of her. He pried her hands from her legs, and held them in his, squeezing them gently.

“When Grandpa and Belle get back, I’m going to apologize. I just hope that they will accept,” Henry told them, his uncertainty leaking through at the end.

“Maybe we’ll have to have that family dinner after all,” David quipped, remembering his shocked statement when he had first learned Rumplestiltskin was Henry’s other grandfather - _‘it’s a good thing we don’t have thanksgiving in our land because that dinner would suck.’_

Snow shook her head. “Gold is hardly the forgiving type. He did sell the town to Hyde, remember?”

“For Belle,” David reminded her. He looked lovingly at Snow. “Belle is his true love. What would we not do for one another?”

“If they are true love,” Snow disputed. “He couldn’t wake her from the sleeping curse. Emma said that was because Belle didn’t want to be with him anymore.”

It was David’s turn to shake his head. He was surprised at Snow for believing that, and truthfully he didn’t know where Emma had got that nugget of information about Belle from anyway. “True love isn’t that fragile. I don’t know why Gold couldn’t wake her. We don’t know the full story.”

“We didn’t help either,” Henry pointed out, downcast and David was torn between comforting Snow and comforting his grandson.

David looked at Snow, who still looked unconvinced. “We’ll have to see what the situation is when Gold and Belle return. There’s no point in borrowing trouble - either of you!”

Snow nodded, but remained huddled and small. David straightened, he’d get her some hot chocolate and they’d talk more later, when she was ready. Henry’s phone beeped, he fished it out from his jeans pocket and looked at it.

“That’s mom, I gotta go,” Henry told them. He moved towards the door, before impulsively turning back. He leant down and gave Snow a quick hug. “It’s going to be ok Grandma.” He smiled at Snow and headed back to the door. “See you later!”

The door slammed behind him. Snow stared at the spot where he had been, a soft smile on her face. David fondly shook his head, his grandson was something else, perhaps he didn’t need that hot chocolate after all.

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_A couple of years ago (not long before the first dark curse was broken)_

Neal Cassidy lounged back on his couch, watching his girlfriend Tamara make herself at home. She had arrived just a couple of minutes ago, clutching her usual overnight bag. He hadn’t asked her to move in yet but he was thinking about it. In fact he was doing a lot more than just thinking, there was a square jewelry box burning a hole in his pocket. It was insane, he hadn’t known Tamara for that long but they had just clicked.

They liked all the same things, held a lot of the same opinions, it was like he’d gone to a store and asked them to design him the perfect girlfriend. However, there was one hurdle still to overcome and he wasn’t sure he was brave enough to broach it. He wanted to be honest about who he really was, and his past, but he wasn’t sure he could bear the ridicule. She would probably label him crazy and run screaming out the door, and he couldn’t blame her.

“What are you thinking?” Tamara asked him, putting her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow, a smile stretching across her face.

“About you, about us,” Neal told her honestly.

“Awww sweetie.” Tamara leant down and lightly kissed him on the cheek.

Neal moved and captured her lips for a longer kiss. He then took hold of her arm and gently pulled her down onto the couch next to him. Maybe he couldn’t be honest completely, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t tell her the truth. It was just a matter of framing it the right way.

“I want to tell you a story,” Neal started, missing Tamara’s suddenly sharp gaze. “About a boy and magic.”

“Sounds fascinating, tell me more,” Tamara encouraged, snuggling into his side.

“Once upon a time there was a boy. His mother was long gone, all he had was his father and his papa loved him, but something dark and evil got inside him. He wasn’t his papa anymore but one day the boy found a way to save his papa, but his father broke their deal. There was nothing left of his papa to save. His papa let him go, he didn’t care about the boy anymore, all he cared about was his power,” Neal started, feeling the old resentment rise up inside him.

All he had seen for years every time he closed his eyes, was his papa and that unearthly green glow. He could see his papa’s hand, wrapped around his and then he could see his papa let him go. He fell away and all he could see was his papa’s face, choosing power over him and that burned. His mother had chosen a new life and a pirate over him, his father had chosen a dagger.

“Neal,” Tamara prompted, her brow creasing in concern.

“For a brief time the boy found a new family but magic haunted him. It came to threaten his new family and the boy wouldn’t let it. Peter Pan’s shadow kidnapped the boy to Neverland and he became one of the lost boys,” Neal paused.

He chanced a glance at Tamara, he thought that she would be sniggering but instead she looked sympathetic. She started stroking his arm, almost like she was trying to comfort him, like she understood how hard this was. He knew better, he knew this was just a funny story to her, she would probably start laughing any minute. He didn’t think he could ever tell her that this had been his life.

“Neverland isn’t like in the books. Peter Pan is evil, far worse than Hook and Hook's not exactly a good guy either. The boy was trapped there for over a hundred years, forced at first to play along with Pan’s sick games. Those games taught him a lot, about the island and skills like sword fighting. Eventually the boy found a cave and he started counting time. He was back in a magical realm and he thought his papa might come for him but he never did. The boy should never have hoped, his papa had already chosen his power, the boy no longer mattered.”

Neal stopped, he could hear the bitterness leaking through. He pushed himself off the couch and walked the three steps to the small kitchen area. He took a deep breath and got himself a glass of water. He drank half of it, before refilling it and turning back round. Tamara was sitting, waiting patiently for him to continue. He leaned against the wall and focused on a spot towards the side, he couldn’t look her in the eye right now.

“The boy reasoned that if the shadow could kidnap him to Neverland, then the shadow could take him away from Neverland. It took years, that’s why he was trapped there for so long, but he found a way to trap the shadow and finally he escaped Neverland. He came back to a world he didn’t recognize, it was so different from when he had briefly been here a hundred years earlier. He told everyone he was of age, he _was_ over a hundred at this point.” Neal’s mouth twisted into the mockery of a smile.

Those early days had been desperate. He had been terrified the entire time and much of his memory was a blur. To this day he wasn’t sure how he had survived, it felt like he was constantly on the run. Sleeping in train stations and bus terminals to get out of the cold, stealing just food at first but then getting better at stealing, then getting really good at stealing.

Eventually stealing new clothes, things he could sell and then finally that yellow bug. He was chased more times than he could count and he was always running from the law. That fateful watch deal was the largest score he’d made, and the only one that had ever caught up with him.

“He chose a new name ...” Neal hesitated, before deciding against telling her about what he had decided and why.

Cassidy from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, an outlaw like himself. Neal after Neil Armstrong because he had once explored a completely different world, although he didn’t realize for some time that he had spelt the name differently from the astronaut. Not that it ultimately mattered, it had only been inspiration.

“He met a girl when she broke into his stolen car.”

Tamara laughed, before clapping a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “Please, keep going.”

“The girl didn’t have anything either, and they stayed together for a time, pulling scams because it’s easier with two than one. Eventually after a close call, they went from friends to lovers and for a time the boy thought she was his happy ending.” Neal stopped again, using the excuse of drinking the water to think through what he was going to say.

Just like the name, he probably shouldn’t say anything. Even after all these years he still felt ashamed for how he had treated Emma. At the time he had thought he was doing the right thing. What Emma wanted most in life was to meet her parents, to find out where she came from and August had been so persuasive.

He had regretted the plan, almost the moment he had agreed, but by then it was too late. All he could do was leave Emma every cent he could spare and the car, it wasn’t enough but nothing would have been enough. He had wanted to check on her but he felt too guilty, he knew she would hate him for what happened, he hated himself for it.

“The boy had to let her go and the boy had to grow up. He was finally of age, and not just pretending, so he got himself an ID and a real job. He made a life for himself and tried to forget his past, and the world he came from. The End.” Neal forced a smile and a laugh.

Tamara laughed politely for a moment before her expression turned serious. “Did the boy want to destroy magic?”

Neal’s heart hurt, he didn’t really want to think about this anymore. He had done what he wanted and been honest with Tamara, or at least as honest as he felt he could be under the circumstances. He hadn’t been expecting questions.

“Magic is dangerous, it always comes with a price. The boy lost everything because of magic and it destroyed his family,” Neal told her.

“But did the boy want magic destroyed?” Tamara pressed.

“I don’t ..” Neal frowned, confused at Tamara’s persistence. “All magic comes with a price, destroying magic would surely come with a price as well. Besides, the boy grew up and learned what all kids learn, that he didn’t know everything as a kid. The boy might have gleefully destroyed magic once but who knows what the consequences of that would be like. Oh the boy will always hate magic but it was his papa that abandoned him, magic was just an excuse.”

“Oh,” Tamara muttered, looking almost disappointed. “The boy is quite sure about that? I mean magic is dangerous and unnatural, it destroyed the boy’s life.”

“The boy is very sure,” Neal stated firmly.

Tamara sighed heavily before a bright smile crossed her face. “That was a great story Neal, you should be a writer like that friend of yours.”

She wandered over and kissed him, her hands wandering over his chest. Neal put her strange questions out of mind, she had just enjoyed his story that was all. It was perhaps the logical conclusion, that he would have wanted to destroy magic. He just didn’t think it would be safe to do that.

Quite frankly he had spent his life running away from magic, he didn’t really want to get close to it again, not even to destroy it. He just wanted to stay away, to keep his normal life and maybe make a family for himself. The ring burned a hole in his pocket as he kissed Tamara more deeply. Maybe he would pop the question later, the rest of his life was waiting.

While Neal trailed kisses down her neck, Tamara scowled over his shoulder. That had not gone according to plan. The Home Office would not be pleased. They had wanted her to recruit Neal and she had thought it would be easy, but he wasn’t at all receptive. The notes in her bag about destroying magic would have to stay there, how disappointing.

The Home Office would have to go for their backup option, and recruit Greg Mendell for the open position. He would be a fine addition but it was a shame, Neal would have been the real prize. However, Neal would still help them, willingly or not. Tamara smirked, no-one would suspect her if Neal was her passport into Storybrooke.

She would find the boy and kill everyone else, Storybrooke would be destroyed like the abomination it was. It would finally be the end of magic.

_~Flashback~_


	12. Chapter 12

That evening found a large chunk of Storybrooke once more outside of city hall. The polls had closed an hour earlier for the votes to be counted. Granny had marched inside and peered down her glasses at everyone in there, pronouncing that there would be no ‘funny business’ and she would be double checking the count.

Regina obviously hadn’t objected. Granny had always been close with Snow and David, she frequently babysat for baby Neal. However, Alexander had offered no objection either. Perhaps, Regina mused, that was because he thought that he had Granny’s support. Granny had refused to publically state an opinion, which she had to admit did seem tantamount to supporting the opposition.

“It’ll be ok mom,” Henry reassured her.

“I know,” Regina replied.

Truthfully it wasn’t actually the election that was playing on her mind. She had spent a few hours this afternoon, along with Emma and Henry, searching for Jekyll. They hadn’t found him and nobody claimed to have seen him in a couple of days. In fact they hadn’t found anyone who had seen Jekyll since Hyde’s disappearance. It was an ominous coincidence.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find Jekyll,” Emma promised.

Regina raised an eyebrow, she hadn’t realized she was being so transparent. A faint smile crossed Emma’s face and Regina felt a pang that it had taken so little, to make a difference. Emma still needed a few good nights sleep, and something a little more nutritious than her favored pop tarts, but she already looked better.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Snow. She had left city hall earlier angry, and she came back subdued and sad. Henry had told her about the conversation he’d overheard between his grandparents. While Regina agreed with David whole-heartedly, privately she thought that Snow shouldn’t feel that guilty about a few words spoken in a moment of panic.

She was well aware of how hypocritical that thought was. Regina snorted, after all she had spent years trying to destroy Snow for just a few words. However, she also knew that if crimes against Rumplestiltskin and Belle were ranked, then she had done a lot worse than Snow ever had. It was something that sat less easy these days.

Regina supposed it was like she had told Henry, people made choices and then they had to live with them. Perhaps when, or if, Rumplestiltskin and Belle returned, it wouldn’t just be Henry who owed them an apology. Regina hated apologizing but if the right moment presented itself, she had to admit it was something that was long overdue.

The doors to city hall opened. Regina’s eyes snapped over to where Alexander was standing with his family. He smirked at her and she smirked back, unwilling to give an inch. Alexander scowled and turned his back, Regina mentally painted a point in her favor. The microphone shrieked and the assembled crowd went silent. One of the transplants from the land of untold stories stepped up to the podium.

“In the interests of transparency,” he began, shooting a wary look at Granny. “Turnout was just below 40%. The vote was split between the two final candidates 84% to 16%.”

“Ouch,” Hook muttered. He winked at Regina. “That’s embarrassing.”

“Shhh.” Emma swatted him lightly on the shoulder and rolled her eyes.

Regina raised her head, ready for whatever was announced. A split like that, even with the low turnout, was definitive. It would be impossible for the loser to cry foul play and it would truly be an indicator of the towns feelings. Was Storybrooke willing to give them a second chance?

“The winner is ... the incumbent mayor, Regina Mills,” the man announced.

“Yeah, way to go mom!” Henry cheered. “I knew you could do it, I never doubted you for a second.”

Alexander strode over and looked down his nose at the group. “It seems the town decided on the ‘devil they knew’. I don’t imagine that they will be so forgiving in future. The next election could play out very differently.”

“Only if changes aren’t made,” Regina pointed out. “I have to thank you for being so thorough in your criticism.”

“Yes ... well ...” Alexander struggled, his face red with fury or embarrassment, likely both.

Regina was tempted to twist the knife a little more but the sound of a thunder bolt cut through the air. She tensed and grabbed Henry’s shoulder, keeping him next to her. She looked round for the danger she knew was coming, nobody made that kind of opening statement unless they wanted all the attention.

Circling smoke, the mark of teleporting, appeared up on the steps, right where everyone would get a clear view. David stepped in front of Snow and baby Neal, his hand automatically going to where his sword should be at his hip, even though he hadn’t carried one regularly for over thirty years.

The purple smoke cleared and Regina’s jaw dropped. There, in all her glory, was the Evil Queen.

“Erm Regina ...?” Emma shot her a bewildered look.

“Zelena!” Regina growled.

Her ‘worse self’ was one thing, but standing next to her, beaming from ear to ear was her sister. She was dressed in her usual ‘witch outfit’, pointed black hat and everything. Regina felt like she had been punched in the gut. Against her better judgment she had really started to trust Zelena. That had been the problem - she had wanted to trust her, she had wanted to believe that she was changing. Too late, Regina had a realization, it was like a bucket of ice water down her spine.

Why would Zelena change? When being ‘wicked’ had got her everything she ever wanted. Zelena hadn’t earned her redemption, they had just handed her forgiveness because Regina had wanted so desperately to call her family. Regina had wanted so desperately to believe that someone like them, who had done the things they had done, could change. If the Wicked Witch could do better, then so could the Evil Queen.

“Hi sis,” Zelena called out brightly, waving at Regina.

“You are all so pathetic!” The Evil Queen declared, her eyes flashing as she stalked back and forth on the city hall steps. “With your petty politics and pointless elections. You are nothing but sheep,” she smirked. “Easily led to the slaughter.”

“We need to do something, we need to stop her,” David said urgently, sparing Regina a slightly apologetic glance.

“Emma, go to my house, check on baby Robyn, please?” Regina asked, shakily.

“Mom, you’re with me,” Emma decided. She gestured and black and white smoke enveloped her, Snow and baby Neal.

Regina breathed a sigh of relief when Emma went without argument. She would have gone herself but she was aware of how that would look. That was her sister and her ‘worse self’ up there, clearly about to wreck havoc on this town - again. This was a fight she couldn’t run away from.

“The Queen is back,” the Evil Queen roared.

A moment later, all hell broke loose. A dozen members of the crowd turned on each other, and also against the other trapped innocent people that were around them. The attackers were people they knew, people that wouldn’t do this unless they were being controlled.

“She’s got their hearts,” Regina shouted.

“Subdue only,” David ordered, charging into the fray.

David dodged a sword strike from one of the three musketeers, which would have decapitated him, and landed a right hook that knocked the man to the ground.

“Look out mate!” Hook yelled.

Hook raised his hook and blocked a strike to David’s side, knocking the sword out of the attackers hands and kicking them in the chest, sending them crashing to the ground. Regina focused, she could freeze one or two people easily, an entire crowd was a different matter.

“Back to back,” David shouted. “We need to get their attention, get the rest of these people out of here.”

“Aye.” Hook agreed.

“Mom.” Henry lurched forward, eyes wide with fear but eager to help.

Regina grabbed him. “Stay here,” she barked, more harshly than intended but the tang of blood was thick in the air.

The Evil Queen laughed. “Just a little preview of what you can expect.”

“Mom, stop it!” Henry screamed.

Regina’s head snapped to him, losing the threads of magic she had been pulling together, but his eyes weren’t on her, they were looking beseechingly at her worst self. To her left, a cloud of black and white smoke swirled, as Emma appeared back at her side.

“We need to make them sleep,” Regina told her quickly.

If Maleficent were here, she could have put the entire town to sleep by now. Unfortunately she wasn’t here and sleeping spells were more about finesse than brute power, something Regina had always struggled with. However, as always, more power could usually compensate. Emma’s hands glowed, sending tendrils of magic spiraling outwards. Regina sent her magic out, grabbing Emma’s and molding it to what they needed.

There was a pulse and everyone in front of them collapsed to the ground.

“Nice job sis,” Zelena complimented with mock sincerity.

The Evil Queen shot Regina a mocking smile. With a wave of the Evil Queen’s hand, purple smoke teleported both herself and Zelena away from the scene.

“Regina we need to wake them up,” Emma said urgently. “There’s some pretty bad injuries.”

“She still has their hearts. We’ll have to wake them in small groups,” Regina suggested, pulling herself together for the moment.

She boiled with fury, rage that she felt she shouldn’t be able to feel given the split, burned through her veins. It was guilt, it was responsibility, she had done this, in her moment of weakness she had put this into motion. Even as she pulled the magic together, to reverse the sleeping spell on the first set of people, she cast a glance at Henry. He was thankfully not staring at the carnage in front of him, but that was cold comfort when he looked so desolate.

He met her eyes. “I thought she would listen to me,” he muttered brokenly.

“She’s not really a person kid, more a manifestation of evil. I don’t think she’s capable of listening to anyone,” Emma told him, her voice thick with sympathy. Henry sighed and looked at Regina, his eyes practically begging for reassurance.

“Emma’s right,” Regina lied, pleased to see Henry believe her and brighten.

Regina would love to believe that. It would mean that she wouldn’t have chosen to commit an atrocity like this, but the truth was as the Evil Queen she had done similar things. She had split from the Evil Queen, not some pure darkness like Emma had dealt with as the dark one. Emma had been cursed, whereas she had chosen her path. Rumplestiltskin had given her the matches, but he didn’t make her light the fire.

They woke the crowd in small groups, freezing and restraining anyone that was still fighting. Regina scowled, there was nothing they could do for these people until they could reclaim their hearts. The small jail at the sheriffs station wouldn’t be able to handle this, not even the asylum would have enough separate rooms. It was a dilemma.

When they were done three lay dead on the ground, their blood seeping into the grass.

“Tis a sad day to do one’s duty,” Don Quixote noted as he wiped his sword clean.

“You did this?” David looked at him in horror.

“But of course, the protection of others is the most fundamental duty of a hero,” Don Quixote replied, his brow furrowing in puzzlement at their response.

“No, no, no.” David shook his head, rendered temporarily speechless.

Emma stepped forward. “You’re going to have to come up with us.”

“Why? I’m a hero, I can do no wrong,” Don Quixote spluttered. “I have acted in your service, your ingratitude appalls me.” Emma grabbed for him and he darted backwards. “No, I will not allow you to keep me from my quest.” He raised his sword and Regina froze him in place.

Hook grabbed the outstretched sword, prying it from Don Quixote’s hand. Regina relaxed the spell enough for Emma to zip-tie his hands. Henry had grabbed a pack from the nearby hardware store having seen them used as restraints in a movie, the sheriffs only had one pair of handcuffs each and that just wasn’t cutting it today. Don Quixote struggled uselessly bellowing about injustice, Regina silenced him.

“I’m a hero, I can do no wrong,” David repeated darkly, shaking his head.

“Baby Robyn?” Regina asked suddenly.

“Relax, she’s with mom. I left a protection spell on the door,” Emma explained quickly. However, Regina didn’t relax, Emma looked far too grave. “Regina ... Robyn had been spelled asleep.”

Regina gasped. Zelena had cast a spell on her own baby? Her stomach lurched as she realized suddenly why baby Robyn had been so docile earlier. She hadn’t questioned it. She had envisaged a disaster zone when they hadn’t shown up for the rally that morning, so she had been glad to find peace. That the peace was magically induced made her feel ill. Sure, all mothers wanted their child to stop crying but only a monster would magic them quiet. To cast a spell like that, it was selfish and about your needs, not the needs of the child.

That was Robin’s daughter, she deserved better. Regina had tried to support Zelena, had tried to accept her as baby Robyn’s mother because she thought that Zelena was on the road to redemption. However, the events of today meant Zelena relinquished all parental rights to that child, to Robin’s child. It had been a mistake to ever think it could have been otherwise, a mistake based on a fools hope.

*****

Meanwhile, in the depths of the underworld, Hades had set up a comfortable lair. There was a circular platform, surrounded by the swirling of the river of lost souls. The light of the souls, provided illumination, bouncing off the stone walls. There was a comfortable armchair, a cabinet stocked with the finest liquor, even a pool table. It was a real gentleman’s club, fitting for the lord of the underworld.

King Arthur hummed to himself as he stared at the numerous vials, tubes and bubbling frothing concoctions in front of him. He had set up a table, where Rumplestiltskin had once had his spinning wheel. Behind him, slumped on the ground, Jekyll moaned lightly. Arthur twisted at the sound and smirked.

The good doctor had been remarkably stubborn about sharing his formula for the ‘split serum’ but he had eventually given in, just as they all did. If nothing else he knew how to get people to talk. He had nothing but time, and the inevitably of their defeat eventually loosened even the most stubborn of tongues.

Jekyll had been stronger than Arthur had suspected, but he was still fundamentally a weak man, a coward who hadn’t enjoyed the pain Arthur had inflicted on him. Blood matted Jekyll’s hair, and bruises marred his face. He whimpered seeing the serum change color, turning the bright red that signified it was in it’s final state.

“Finally,” Arthur breathed.

There was a syringe laying ready on the table. Arthur picked it up and placed the needle into the vial of mixture, withdrawing a full dose of the serum. He shivered in anticipation. He was a patient man but even his patience had limits. Although, he acknowledged wryly, if Jekyll hadn’t died so quickly then he would still be waiting. He should consider himself fortunate that events had turned out so well for him.

Carefully he pricked his skin with the needle, and injected himself with the serum. He dropped the syringe onto the table and stumbled backward. His face flashed red, the magic working, ripping away the part of him he needed to discard. He doubled over, and Arthur split from his skin, crashing to the ground.

Hades laughed with glee. His hair flashed into his trademark blue flames, as he gestured negligently with his hand, banishing what remained of Arthur into the river of lost souls. When he had reached Storybrooke he had been exhilarated. Everything he ever wanted was finally within his grasp. However, he had no desire to lose this game, he didn’t want a repeat of his exile so he arranged for a backup plan, should things not work out.

_‘I will need your help,’ Hades told Arthur, twisting his hand to magically snap his neck ‘And that will do nicely.’_

He had imprinted on Arthur, transferring all his memories and a portion of his power - just in case. Much like when his true love Zelena had ‘died’, her magic had sought out her pendant, a failsafe in case the worst happened. When Zelena had turned on him, stabbing him with the Olympian crystal, his power had flowed directly to where Arthur was waiting in the underworld. What little remained of Arthur disappeared, as Hades slipped into his skin. Then it was only a matter of waiting for Jekyll, for the serum that would return him to his full glory.

The crystal was lost to him now. Upon on it’s apparent destruction it would have returned to Mount Olympus. Hades shook his head sadly, he doubted very much he would ever lay hands on it again. However, it didn’t matter. He was alive, something of which no mortal was aware. Hades broke into an evil chilling laugh - they would never see him coming.

*****

Back in Storybrooke, between them Regina and Emma had healed the worst of the injuries, so that there were no more casualties. All the injured had been sent to the hospital, where Doctor Whale and his staff would patch them up. Regina scowled, they had been lucky it hadn’t been worse, and they all knew it. However, she could see Alexander lurking to one side and she knew that the real fallout from today’s incident might be yet to come.

“How is the Queen not dead? We saw her die,” Emma asked, the moment everything started to get under control.

The heartless townspeople were laying facedown on the ground, their arms bound behind them. They would need to think of somewhere secure to keep them, but for now they were rendered harmless. A few of them still struggled, the compulsion to attack still pushing them forward, but most lay still, the magic having accepted their defeat.

“It seems your darkness had quite a bite, your majesty,” Hook smirked. He put his finger on his chin and feigned a thoughtful look. “In fact, how can we be sure which one we are speaking to now? I mean ...”

“We all have a dark side pirate and I remember yours,” Regina interrupted sharply. Before she could say anything else, Violet walked over to the group.

“Hey Henry,” Violet greeted shyly.

“Hey Violet,” Henry said awkwardly back.

Violet shifted on the spot, clearly uncomfortable under the scrutiny of the group. “Have you seen my dad?” she asked.

“No.” Henry shook his head. “But I’m sure he’s ok,” he blurted out quickly. He twisted to look at Emma and then Regina. “We can look for him, right?”

Violet shrugged. “It’s silly to worry, it’s just ...” she looked at the pool of blood in the grass, before tearing her eyes away back to Henry’s sympathetic gaze. “Maybe he’s with his new friends.”

“What new friends?” Regina asked.

Regina mentally winced as that came out harsher than she intended. While, she wasn’t sure that she approved of Violet, after all she was Henry’s first girlfriend, she didn’t want to be mean to the girl either. Emma had already done enough damage on that score by taking Violet’s heart. Besides, the last thing Regina wanted to do, overprotective instincts or not, was to turn into Cora.

“They’ve been visiting the house lately,” Violet explained. “Two young men, and a teenage girl, not much older than me. Do you know them?”

Emma frowned and shot a glance at David, who had a puzzled expression. Regina raised an eyebrow, she knew who that sounded like but why would they be visiting Sir Morgan? What possible connection could they have? A shiver of uncertainty passed through her, Regina had a feeling whatever the reason was, it wasn’t going to be good for any of them.

*****

“You are a coward, Rumplestiltskin,” Rumplestiltskin muttered to himself.

He was back in the house he’d appropriated in the land of untold stories. Belle was laid out on the master bed, free from Pandora’s box once more. She was suffering while he was sitting here, agonizing with indecision. He knew what Belle needed, he knew what had to be done, he always had known.

“True loves kiss,” Rumplestiltskin whispered.

Down in the underworld he had tried, and it had failed. However, now he was wondering whether that hadn’t been a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. By that point he had been all but certain that it wouldn’t work, Belle didn’t trust him, likely no longer loved him either. True love was magical but it wasn’t meant for the likes of him.

He had never heard of true love breaking but Regina believed she had two true loves in her life, and both of them had died. True love was supposed to be rare, after all if it was easy then everyone would have it. So, if Regina could have two true loves, then maybe true love could be lost, perhaps to be reborn. Maybe Belle had another true love out there, who would be better suited for her.

Darkly, Rumplestiltskin shook his head. This was why he hadn’t already bent down, pressed his lips to Belle’s and hoped for a true loves kiss. He was afraid it wouldn’t work again, he was afraid of what that might mean. Belle was suffering in the depths of the sleeping curse, because he was too much of a coward to attempt to wake her.

This might be the beginning of things, but it felt far more like the end of things.

That made him rather philosophical. So much had happened in recent years and he was uncomfortable with several of the revelations. The existence of an author was something that didn’t sit well with him. The power of that pen seemed limitless and he couldn’t fathom how it worked. How could reality be manipulated like that?

They weren’t puppets on a string. Were they not real people? This land, the land of untold stories, was actually full of stories. All those ‘stories’ from the land without magic, they were real - they were all real. According to the apprentice, the author was supposed to only record what happened, not change it. However, Isaac had done just that. It gave him questions, did someone write Bae dead? Did someone write him into this situation?

The existence of an author made so little sense, even though Rumplestiltskin had to acknowledge there was some logic to it. After all, how did their stories make it to the land without magic? Perhaps the realms were bound together by some form of magic, that crossed the barriers of time and space, and the magic of the author came from there.

Rumplestiltskin sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. He hadn’t slept in days, not that he needed to sleep, but his thought process did get increasingly erratic without rest. That was especially true these days, the curse lay on him differently now, and he was far more man than imp, and consequently he had the needs of a mortal man.

He should sleep, he should sleep and try and gain some courage. What did he have to lose at this point? True loves kiss was the only way to wake someone from a sleeping curse. He could do it, or at least he hoped he could do it, if only he believed.

Belle’s words came to mind, _‘You don’t need power Rumple. You need courage, to let me in.’_ He had tried to search for a magical solution, but there wasn’t one, there was only true love. _‘True love, the most powerful of all magic. The only magic strong enough to transcend realms and break any curse.’_

Rumplestiltskin wearily got to his feet and reached for Pandora’s Box, Belle shouldn’t have to keep suffering just because he was a coward. However, he hesitated, suddenly unsure whether suspending the nature of the sleeping curse was such a good idea. True love had to be mutual, that was why he hadn’t been able to instantly kiss her, and free her from the cursed memories of Lacey. Belle hadn’t loved him as Lacey, because she couldn’t remember that she loved him.

Maybe if Belle had a chance to reflect she might be willing to give him a tiny sliver of a chance. Alternately, she might decide she was done with him forever. In all honesty he couldn’t blame her if she did decide that they were through. However, he had meant what he’d said right before he pulled Excalibur from the stone. _‘If I had to do it all again, I would make sure I was the man you deserved right from the very start.’_

He had been the dark one when Belle had fallen in love with him. His power was part of him, it had been for as long as she had known him. _‘I love this dagger and I also love you. Both are possible.’_ He did truly believe that. He needed his magic for what it could do, it was a tool that kept him safe, kept those he cared about safe. Bae had been the very reason for the magic in the first place. Magic was a means to an end, Belle and their child were his everything.

However, if only he could wake her, he would let her go if that’s what she wanted. They could co-parent and be friends for the sake of their child. It would kill him to be that close, yet so far away, but it would be Belle’s choice, it had always been Belle’s choice. If he couldn’t wake her tomorrow, then he would give into her father’s demands. While, Rumplestiltskin still doubted that Maurice could even wake Belle, it would be the last lingering possibility. It would be all he would have left to try.

Rumplestiltskin gently put Pandora’s Box back down. He would leave Belle for tonight and tomorrow, tomorrow he would try and wake her. Tomorrow, he would find out if any spark of true love remained between them. Tonight he would gather his courage, tomorrow he wouldn’t hold anything back. All magic came with a price, he was fairly certain what price this sleeping curse would demand from him, and it wouldn’t be what most would think.

“Goodnight Belle,” Rumplestiltskin murmured lightly as he left the room.

Tomorrow, there would be one last roll of the dice, one last chance at true love. Their future would be decided tomorrow.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert but there’s basically what amount to zombies in this chapter. There’s no really disgusting descriptions because I personally don’t like that but the dead do walk Storybrooke.

_~Flashback~_  
_A little over one hundred years ago_

“Father, father!” John Darling screamed, running down the corridor.

His little brother, Michael scrambled to keep up, his sock covered feet slipping on the wood flooring. John collided heavily with the wooden door of his parents bedroom. He banged loudly with the side of his hand, and shot Michael a panic-stricken look. The door was flung open, their father framed by the light of the lamp inside the room.

“What on earth is the matter?” George Darling demanded.

“It’s Wendy father, she went after Baelfire, the shadow took her,” John cried, his chest heaving as he struggled not to cry.

His father blanched and twisted, looking nervously behind him. He swallowed and gently pushed the boys back. “No need to worry your mother at this time of night,” he murmured. “Let’s go and sit down, get a nice cup of cocoa.”

John sniffed and a tear slid down his cheek. He pulled off his glasses and angrily rubbed at his eyes. Michael clutched his teddy bear in one hand, sucking his other thumb. He pulled it from his mouth and tugged at John’s red striped nightgown.

“Is Wendy ok John?” Michael whispered, his lower lip trembling.

George sighed heavily and clasped Michael on the shoulder. “Let’s sit down.”

John sat gingerly on the sofa in the receiving room. He idly swung his legs, because they didn’t touch the ground, before he realized what he was doing. Michael pulled himself up beside him, leaning against him in his little white sleeper. John bit his lip and put his arm round Michael, he’d never seen their father look so grave.

“Listen boys, you are too young for this but now magic has touched your lives ...” George shook his head, sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

His father was so pale, even in the dim lighting of the room and John was scared that he was going to cry, but he was too old for such a thing. He needed to be strong for Michael, and for Wendy and perhaps for his father as well.

“You now know that magic is very real. Our family took a solemn vow starting with your great-grandfather, that one day we would bring about the end of all magic. Your great-grandfather, he ran from magic because magic destroys everything it touches,” George explained.

“Baelfire said that,” John piped up.

George smiled sadly. “Well the boy was quite right. It’s no accident that he landed in the park nearby. The barrier between worlds is weak there, it’s where your great-grandfather arrived and that is why we live here. The Home Office, our families trust, has to monitor such things.”

“Father, what about Wendy? Are you going to rescue her and Baelfire?” John asked.

He didn’t really understand most of what his father had said. Magic was bad, that was obvious but everything else was confusing. His father had said that they were too young so perhaps when he was older, maybe after his next birthday, it would make more sense.

“I ...” George’s voice cracked. He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes wild and desperate. “I would if I could boys but I don’t know how. That damnable shadow only takes children.”

“Are we in the Home Office?” John pressed, trying to understand.

“It is our families legacy. A Darling always leads the Home Office and one day we will fulfill the promise our forefathers made and destroy magic,” George explained. “Now, some cocoa and back to bed hmm?”

John nodded and jumped down from the sofa. He turned and helped Michael down, taking him by the hand and following their father to the kitchen. John gratefully accepted the mug of cocoa and soon the warm milky drink took affect, his eyelids drooped and he grew sleepy. His father carried Michael back to bed and John stumbled at his side. George kissed them both on the forehead and tucked them in, something he had never done before as it wasn’t proper. However, they were his children and he did love them.

When John awoke the next morning he had decided on a plan. His father said it was their duty to destroy magic, that they were in this ‘Home Office’, and that the shadow only took children. That was why Wendy had gone after Baelfire, but she hadn’t known the truth, which meant it was up to him. He was the next oldest and he would rescue Wendy and Baelfire, he would bring them home and fulfill the legacy that his father had talked about.

That night John waited until Michael was asleep before slipping out of bed and moving over to the window. John opened it, shivering at the cool breeze, his thin nightgown no protection against the night air. He fixed his eyes on the sky, squinting through his glasses and thought hard.

“I do believe in magic, I do. I do believe in magic, I do,” John whispered, repeating the phrase over and over. He waited, and waited and eventually he saw the wisp of a shadow appear at the open window. “I want to go to Neverland. I want to find Wendy,” John told the shadow, his voice shaking slightly with fear. He swallowed and raised his chin, resolute in his plan.

“John?” Michael called, sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes.

“Go back to sleep,” John ordered, taking the shadows smoky but somehow still firm hand.

“No, don’t leave me!” Michael cried. He jumped out of bed and grabbed hold of John’s arm. “Please, don’t, not like Wendy.”

“I’m going to save them,” John told him. “Tell father.”

Michael’s lower lip trembled and tears fell from his eyes. He grabbed hold of John’s arm tighter and the shadow lifted off the ground, towards the window and dragging both boys with him.

“Let go Michael,” John hissed, but by then it was too late. The shadow had carried them both out the open window and they were flying far above the houses. “Don’t let go!” John shouted, taking hold of Michael himself to ensure his grip didn’t tire, he couldn’t let his brother fall.

The trip to Neverland felt interminable and it must surely have been magic that kept them both gripping to the shadow, and not falling to their death on the unforgiving streets below. However, eventually the stars gave way to an ocean, and an island. The shadow swooped down, dropping them both on the sandy shore.

Michael tugged on John’s nightgown. “John I’m scared.”

“It’s ok,” John reassured him, putting his arm round Michael’s shoulders. “It’ll be alright.”

“Hey boys. I’m Peter, do you want to play a game?” Peter Pan stepped out from the shadows of the tree line, walking towards them on the sand, the moonlight illuminated his sharp features and his smirk.

“We’re not here to play!” John declared. “I’m here for Wendy and for Baelfire. We’re going to destroy you.”

Pan laughed. “Destroy me?”

“Well destroy magic, it’s our destiny,” John stated, wishing he sounded stronger, but the boy in front of him was older and scary looking.

“Destiny? I haven’t heard that before,” Pan drawled. “Tell me about this destiny. Maybe I could help, you’d like some help wouldn’t you?”

John swallowed uncertainly. “I want to find my sister.”

“I know where she is, I can take you to her,” Pan offered. “While we’re walking, you can tell me about this destiny. I can help, I know I can.” Pan smiled and despite himself, John found himself smiling back.

“It’s called the Home Office,” Michael piped up, before sticking his thumb back in his mouth.

Pan’s gaze was calculating, and his smile turned predatory. “That sounds very ... useful. Come on,” he winked. “Let’s go find Wendy.”

John and Michael followed Peter Pan into the Neverland forest. John nodded to himself, everything was going to be alright, they would soon be with Wendy and Baelfire. Then they could destroy magic before going home and forgetting this ever happened.

A few hours later George Darling opened the door into his children’s room. He saw the white curtains blowing through the open window, he saw the two empty beds and he fell to his knees. Magic had taken his remaining two children and there was nothing he could do to save them. He had lost everything and the Home Office mattered even more now. He had to get them back and he had to ensure this never happened to any other family.

Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, George and Mary Darling were never reunited with their three children. George put their entire estate into trust, because he knew that maybe one day his children would return. He wanted them to always have a home to come back to, he had failed them in every other respect, the least he could do was ensure that they were provided for if they ever escaped. When faced with an enemy like magic, there was nothing else he could do.

_~Flashback~_

*****

“The Queen is back!” Hades smirked, appearing in the clearing behind the Evil Queen.

He shivered in delight. He had missed this version of Regina, she was a lot more helpful to him than the hero version. He had been telling the truth when he had told Rumplestiltskin, that his supply of souls had run short, since the dark one and the Evil Queen had mostly renounced their villainous ways. The Evil Queen turned round slowly and arched an eyebrow.

“I thought you were dead,” the Evil Queen remarked. “I wonder what my dear sister would make of this information.”

“Ah,” Hades breathed, nodding sagely. He shook his head and shot the Evil Queen a conspiratorial glance. “Let’s not tell her. It would only ... complicate matters.”

“Hmm.” the Evil Queen didn’t look convinced. She sighed. “What can I do for the lord of the underworld?”

Hades laughed. “There is a matter which could prove mutually beneficial. Your plans for the Black Cauldron, I have a little something ... extra to add to the pot.”

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a vial of shimmering liquid. It swirled hypnotically, looking like an entry to an ocean, rather than the small amount of liquid the vial could contain. It kept flashing, actually radiating light onto the shadowy forest floor. Night had fallen, it was the perfect time for dark deals.

“What is it?” the Evil Queen asked.

“The river of lost souls,” Hades murmured. “It will make your attack more interesting, more ... personal and that’s what you want, isn’t it?”

“I know better than to make a deal I don’t understand,” the Evil Queen drawled. “What do you get from this?”

Hades narrowed his eyes and appraised her. He had always liked the Evil Queen, she had been one of his best soul-providers for several years. However, since the casting of the first dark curse, his supply had run virtually dry. Most of the realms were either stopped in time, or had their populations brought to Storybrooke. There had been so few deaths, and there hadn’t been much improvement since the curse was broken.

Cora had provided several souls during her brief reign in the enchanted forest. However, soon she came to join his domain. Zelena had been more interested in turning her enemies into winged monkeys, and making them serve her, rather than kill them. Even the dark one had been tamed. Although, Hades had to admit, Rumplestiltskin had never been much of a dark one in the killing stakes. Once he had gained more control over the curse, after losing his boy through the portal, he hadn’t killed all that many.

“My supply of souls is running low,” Hades admitted. “Your ‘better self’ and her little friends caused quite the problem for me. So many souls moved on, and there are so few replacing them.”

“I don’t understand,” the Evil Queen said, though her keen gaze suggested otherwise.

Hades sighed. “I have power of my own, but I can vastly increase my power through the souls in my domain. I can draw from them, the more souls in the underworld, the more power I have.”

“You are hoping the Black Cauldron will kill many,” the Evil Queen stated. “Such a violent end would surely result in unfinished business.”

“Exactly,” Hades confirmed. “Now do you want the vial or not?”

The Evil Queen smirked, and took the vial from Hades outstretched hand. “It’ll be the icing on the cake.”

*****

Regina woke up in a bad mood. She had hardly slept the night before, tossing and turning for hours, because of yesterdays revelations. Her ‘worst self’ was alive and causing havoc, Zelena had teamed up with her and neither of them were anywhere to be found. Regina had expected that Zelena would return for her ‘darling’ daughter but she hadn’t, Zelena hadn’t even tested the protection spells Regina had layered on the house.

That was more than enough trouble to be dealing with. However, Violet’s suggestion that Sir Morgan was meeting with the Darling’s was confusing. Nobody could fathom how he would know them, and that bothered Regina. There was something they were missing, maybe even something important.

She stretched and slipped out of bed, moving to the window. Regina pulled the curtain slightly to one side, enough to peer out at the street. It was still early, the morning dew was on the grass and there was a misty haze on the horizon. The sky was clouded, it looked like it might rain. Regina sighed and started to let the curtain fall back closed when her eyes caught movement.

Idly, she looked to see who was lumbering down the street at this hour. The person came into view slowly and Regina blinked, certain that her eyes were playing tricks on her. She looked away and then looked back, but the image didn’t change. Then she rubbed her eyes, feeling ridiculous as she continued to deny what she was seeing.

Walking down the street, bold as brass, was her mother - Cora. She was dressed in the same pantsuit she had been wearing when she died. Regina hadn’t bothered to redress her before burial, unsure of what exactly her mother would prefer and just wanting the whole distasteful business to be over.

Regina waved her hand, smoke whirled round her form, dressing her for the day. Another wave of her hand transported her down to the street, in front of whatever illusion was showing Cora. Regina’s jaw dropped - it wasn’t just Cora. From behind her mother, there was King Arthur, and Johanna, Snow's old nursemaid. A fireball came hurtling towards her face, Regina threw up her hands, barely deflecting it in time.

This was no illusion. The dead of Storybrooke were now walking the streets.

“Mother?” Regina yelled.

Cora turned towards her, but there was no spark of recognition, no sign of life. That wasn’t Cora, because she had moved on to a better place, it was just her animated corpse. However, the same could not be said for King Arthur. He jerkily drew his sword, clearly fighting every movement.

“Hades killed me,” Arthur gasped. “I don’t want to do this, the cauldron commands us.”

He charged, swinging his sword. Regina gestured and teleported herself away, directly to the Charming’s loft.

“Wake up!” Regina shouted. “We have a serious problem.”

David bolted upright and rolled out of bed. His arms scrabbled at the nightstand trying to save himself from colliding with the floor. He fell to his knees and quickly twisted and got to his feet. Snow had just sat upright, clutching the covers to her chest.

“Regina,” Snow gasped. “What on earth?”

“The dead are walking Storybrooke. Get up, get baby Neal. You can stay with him, Henry and baby Robyn at my house. Emma and I will reinforce it with enough magic, that nothing will break in,” Regina laid out. Snow’s jaw dropped and Regina’s eyes flashed. “Now, Snow!”

“The dead are walking Storybrooke?” David queried, pulling on a shirt quickly.

“I had an encounter with my mother, though nobody was home. Arthur on the other hand seemed very awake, said that a cauldron was controlling them,” Regina explained.

Snow gently picked up baby Neal. He stirred and she shushed him. She moved to pick up some things for him but Regina wasn’t in the mood to wait, sharply gesturing with her hand and transporting them both to baby Robyn’s bedroom.

“Regina ...” Snow started.

Regina ignored her, sweeping out of the room and downstairs to the entrance hall. She raised her hands and magic poured out of them, flowing it’s way through the house. Every door, every window, every crack was sealed tight. Fresh pollutant free air could get in, but nothing else. However, Regina wasn’t satisfied with that.

Once again she gestured, transporting herself with a swirl of smoke. This time, it was to Emma’s house. She appeared outside the front door, Emma still hadn’t reset her protections from when she’d been a dark one, locking her out. Regina growled and her hand curled into a fist, she banged loudly on the door.

A moment later she heard the pounding of feet as Emma dashed down the stairs. Emma threw open the door. “What the hell, Regina?”

“Get dressed, the dead are walking Storybrooke, attacking whomever they meet,” Regina told her. “I need you to add protections to the house. Henry, your mother, baby Neal and Robyn are there and ...”

“Yeah, sure,” Emma agreed quickly.

From behind her Hook appeared, thankfully fully dressed. “Did you say something about the dead?”

Emma took his hand and gestured, black and white smoke engulfed them both. Regina teleported herself, arriving in her house’s entrance hall just seconds after them. Emma raised her hands, and repeated Regina’s motions but with a different twist, because her magic was different.

“Mom?” Henry appeared at the top of the stairs. “What’s going on? Grandma said there was a zombie attack?”

“I need you to stay here Henry, with Snow,” Regina ordered, her face pinched with worry. Henry opened his mouth to object and Regina quickly continued. “If the magic protections fail, Snow will need the help. She can’t defend two babies alone. You need to stay here.”

“Regina’s right kid,” Emma agreed. “Family first.”

Henry sighed but nodded easily. “Do I get a sword or something? Zombies won’t kill themselves.”

Despite the circumstances, Regina’s lips twitched in amusement. She wasn’t worried about Henry leaving the house to battle zombies, not really. The only way he could leave this house was if the protections failed. The idea was nobody, or no zombies, could get in _or_ out, unless they were keyed to the magic. The only people keyed were herself and Emma because they placed the protections.

Regina waved her hand, there was a puff of smoke on the dining table and when it faded, there was a sword in it’s place. Henry’s eyes widened and he grinned.

“Thanks mom!”

“Do you even know how to use a sword lad?” Hook asked.

Henry nodded, as he scampered down the stairs and lifted it easily. Unlike the sword he had tried in Camelot, this was a light-weight fencing blade. Deadly sharp but something he could actually lift and use. He didn’t have the muscles of a knight - not yet. However, maybe when he was older, he did have the family lineage for it after all.

“My dad taught me, Gramps too,” Henry told him.

“Protections are set. Time to go,” Emma said, gesturing and allowing magic to change her outfit of pajamas for jeans and her red leather jacket. “I’ll get dad, meet you at Main Street?”

“Under the clock tower, seems to be where these things go down,” Regina snorted.

Emma and Hook disappeared in a swirl of black and white smoke to get David. Regina took one last long look at Henry, before taking a deep breath and transporting herself to the front of Granny’s. Immediately she had to duck, Granny’s crossbow bolt whistling inches above her head to impact in a zombies eye socket. However, they didn’t go down, instead they yanked the bolt out, seemingly unperturbed at the destruction of their eyeball.

Regina snarled and formed a large fireball, throwing it at the zombie. It was a direct hit. The zombie roared but kept coming, only now it was on fire. Regina gulped and teleported herself into the diner. Granny, half of the dwarves and a few new arrivals were taking refuge inside.

“Great job, now it’s on fire,” Leroy growled. “You need to get control of your bad side sister, look what she’s done!”

Outside David, Emma and Hook arrived. David’s jaw dropped and he automatically lowered his stance. He raised his sword, stepped forward and swung, neatly decapitating the nearest zombie. The head bounced along the road, and the body pitched to the floor, it twitched for a moment but then went still.

“Alright dwarves,” Leroy called. “That’s how you kill them.” He hefted his axe and strode towards the door.

“Are you sure, we want to go out there?” Happy asked nervously. Leroy looked at him incredulously. “Ok, ok, we’re going.”

Regina rolled her eyes and transported herself outside to group up with Emma and the others. Emma’s eyes were wide, Regina twisted to see what had got her attention and started to see double. Hook was to Emma’s left, but dead Hook was in front of them.

“Well that’s awkward,” Regina drawled.

A puff of smoke appeared in her hand, as she summoned herself a sword. It was hardly her skillset but it appeared magic wasn’t going to cut it today. A beat later she summoned swords for Emma and Hook.

“Allow me,” Hook grinned devilishly, striding forward. He blocked the strike his ‘dead self’ made with the hook, and slashed, parting the zombies head from it’s shoulders. “There, all better Swan.”

“You have no idea how weird and disturbing that was,” Emma muttered.

Hook’s jaw dropped. With a shaking hand, he pointed behind them. “How is that possible?”

Regina and Emma turned to look. Striding down Main Street was a woman Regina didn’t know, but who Emma clearly recognized. Regina frowned, suddenly catching sight of someone she did recognize, who they all would recognize.

“James!” David screamed, staring at his dead twin brother. “How the hell?”

“Milah,” Hook whispered, his sword hanging uselessly at his side.

“The river of lost souls,” Regina breathed in realization. “How the hell did they got hold of that?”

That made sense as to why Arthur was ‘awake’ but Cora wasn’t. That was actually Arthur’s soul, momentarily reunited with his body. Quite how Arthur had wound up in the river, Regina wasn’t sure, as Hook had reported that Arthur was taking control of the underworld. Perhaps Cruella hadn’t liked the competition. However, unlike Arthur who appeared to be fighting the compulsion laid on by the cauldron, this Milah seemed to be reveling in it.

“Where is that worthless ex-husband of mine?” Milah sneered. “He pushed me in that damn river.”

“The crocodile did what?” Hook exclaimed angrily.

“I’m sorry,” Milah said mockingly to Emma. “The cauldron won’t be denied.”

Milah raised the sword she had got from somewhere and swung it towards Emma’s neck. Emma’s eyes widened and she moved to defend herself but she was too slow. Hook didn’t even move, he was too stunned but Regina’s fingers flicked, freezing Milah in place, before raising her own sword and smoothly decapitating her.

“No!” Hook moaned. “Milah.”

A light burst from Milah’s fallen corpse. The body shimmered, transforming back into the body of someone they didn’t recognize. The shimmering light coalesced into Milah’s form. She waved sadly at Hook before fading away.

“Dad,” Emma gasped. Her eyes falling on David, who was locked in combat with his twin brother.

“Freeze, then kill,” Regina suggested.

Emma nodded tightly, her face pale. Regina spotted Cruella up ahead, near the library. She was laughing as she spelled two dogs to menace the dwarves who were fighting there. Regina strode down, leaving Emma and Hook to help David.

“How did you wind up in the river?” Regina asked, when she saw that Cruella was very much herself and not the mindless version she could have been.

“Hades banished quite a few of us there darling,” Cruella explained. “It’s no matter, once you kill us here, or break the cauldrons spell, we’ll all return to the underworld and not to the river. It’s quite the day out for us, shame the spell won’t let me get some gin.”

“Hades?” Regina repeated. She couldn’t have heard that right. “Hades is dead.”

“Oh no darling, he’s very much alive. Why did something happen?” Cruella raised a painted eyebrow.

Regina absently raised a hand and froze Cruella in place, allowing Leroy to finish off that ‘devil woman’. Her mind was spinning. Hades was alive but he had been stabbed with the Olympian crystal, she had seen it happen. Did that mean that Robin could ....?

“Look out sister,” Leroy shouted, bringing Regina back to the matter at hand. There was still a battle to be fought, there would be time for hope and full investigations later.

Having dispatched Cruella, Regina moved back down the street towards David, Emma and Hook. The cauldron wasn’t by the clock tower, even if she had been right and that seemed to be where most of the fighting was taking place. However, if the dead were still by her house, then they could be all over Storybrooke. They would never fix this by fighting here.

“We need to find the cauldron,” Regina shouted over the noise of battle.

“Agreed, where do you think it will be?” David asked, decapitating another zombie.

“I’d start with the graveyard,” Emma suggested.

Regina staggered and shot Emma a horrified glance. The protections at the house had fallen. Regina didn’t wait, she just teleported herself there, straight into the entrance hall. Baby Neal was crying and Henry was gripping his sword tightly, his eyes wide and scared. The front door was wide open but there were no zombies forcing their way inside.

“It was Zelena,” Henry said. “She took baby Robyn and disappeared.”

“How did she break the protections?” Regina muttered angrily.

She thought that they would hold back an army. She had even tried to counter her ‘worst self’ trying to enter, which wasn’t an easy thing to do, seeing as she hadn’t wanted to lock herself out. If they had needed her, then she didn’t want anything to keep her from Henry’s or baby Robyn’s side, or from Snow and baby Neal.

“There was a thing over there,” Henry gestured towards the living room. “It kinda exploded.”

“A preset ward breaker,” Regina growled.

That would attack the protections from within, something which they weren’t designed to protect against. It could be done, she had after all locked herself successfully in her vault during the shattered sight spell. However, that hadn’t been her intention here. She should have considered Zelena had a backup plan like that.

“Mom she had the slippers, you know that Grandma used to get back from the underworld. I think she went back to Oz,” Henry told her reluctantly.

“It doesn’t matter where Zelena went, we’ll get baby Robyn back,” Regina declared. Her eyes flickered to Henry, Snow and baby Neal. “I’ll reset the protections.”

Regina raised her hands and magic poured out of them once more. She could feel the strain of doing so much magic, in such a short space of time. All magic came with a price after all, but she forced herself to continue. Whatever the price was, she would pay it - later, once they were all safe. Nothing mattered more than the safety of Henry and her family.

Protections cast once more, Regina drew on her flagging magic and transported herself to the graveyard. There was no cauldron in sight but the zombies did appear to be moving away from the tree line. David, Emma and Hook were already there.

“They are coming from the direction of the well,” Emma pointed out. “What happened?”

“Protections fell. Zelena has taken baby Robyn. She won’t get far. Let’s finish this,” Regina stated firmly. She pushed back her sleeves and strode towards the tree line.

It was time to end this, it was time to finally bring an end to the Evil Queen.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert but there’s basically what amount to zombies in this chapter. There’s no really disgusting descriptions because I personally don’t like that but the dead do walk Storybrooke.

The mirror room shuddered again. This time Belle barely flinched, it seemed to happen with alarming regularity and no harm had come to her, so she was trying not to be scared by it. There was no way to know what it meant, it had happened far too many times to be her body passing through a realm. Belle shivered, suddenly feeling acutely vulnerable. Hades couldn’t steal her child under a sleeping curse, but anything could happen to her body.

Belle sat up, from her prone position on the floor, and stretched. A sad wry smile crossed her face, she had to admit that wasn’t entirely true. So long as she was with Rumplestiltskin, no harm would come to her, her husband would protect her. The only problem she had was the means that he might use to achieve that protection. She couldn’t condone the darkness.

Light bounced around the room, in swirling patterns as another mirror came to life. Belle sighed and twisted to look at it, wondering what piece of her past it would show her now. It seemed to be choosing memories based on what she was thinking. However, she had no idea what memory it would choose, to reflect her firm belief, that she couldn’t condone the darkness.

The image in the mirror resolved to show the great hall in the dark castle. Belle frowned, her mirror self was dressed in her gold ballgown. This must be very early in her time at the dark castle because she hadn’t continued to wear that gown for very long. It had been most impractical for working as a maid, and Rumplestiltskin had soon provided her with several identical blue work dresses.

Her mirror self was sweeping the floor. Rumplestiltskin strode into the great hall, an apron protecting his blood red shirt, and brown vest from ... Belle gasped. This was when he had been torturing Robin, for trying to steal the magic wand.

_“I'm going to need another apron,” Rumplestiltskin declared._

_“Erm ... they're erm ... they're on the line drying, it'll be some time,” Belle told him uncomfortably._

_“Fine, fine, get to cleaning this one as well,” Rumplestiltskin demanded, removing the bloody apron and moving towards the door. “I'll be back later.”_

_“All this because he tried to steal a magic wand?” Belle asked accusingly, halting him in his tracks._

_“No, because he tried to steal from me - the Dark One. You try that, you get skinned alive. Everyone knows that,” Rumplestiltskin told her._

_“Actually, no, they don't,” Belle objected._

_“Well they will after they discover the body.” Rumplestiltskin gave one of his trademark cackling laughs and left._

Belle clasped her hands against her mouth and stared at the now dark mirror in absolute horror. Her breathing quickened, and she swallowed trying not to vomit. Her mind was racing and the denial was creeping in around the edges. She had remembered that this had happened, it wasn’t that she’d forgotten but it had somehow lost it’s impact in her memory.

“Ok Belle,” Belle whispered to herself. She took a measured breath, focusing on her breathing for a moment, in a desperate attempt to calm down. “Let’s think this through.”

The gauntlet showed a person’s greatest weakness, which for most people was what they loved the most. The keyword being _most_ people, that wasn’t true for Rumplestiltskin because the dagger controlled him, it could force him to do anything against his will, that would always be his greatest weakness.

She had misjudged the gauntlet situation, there was no denying that. Belle swallowed hard, thinking of the Robin Hood incident and what that meant. Surely it didn’t mean what she was trying frantically to deny, that would mean she had been wrong about almost everything. Actually perhaps wrong wasn’t the right word, her feelings were valid after all, but the situation might not have been exactly what she had thought.

Belle snorted, the words sounded hollow and unconvincing even in her own mind. Who was she trying to convince right now? No-one else was here. It was just her, her mind and her memories. Another mirror swirled. This time the picture formed of her own earnest face, sitting in the front seat of the cadillac.

_“I learned a long time ago, that when you find something that’s worth fighting for, you never give up,” Belle declared._

The mirror went dark. Belle bit her lip, this room was conspiring against her, it was trying to push her towards the realization she didn’t think she was ready to face. However, _‘do the brave thing and bravery will follow’_ , perhaps because it was about time she realized the truth. There was no bias in this room. All it was doing was showing her incidents from the past, and it was giving her the time to think about them.

She was lying to herself, she had been lying to herself all along without even knowing it. She did remember how she had felt back then, when she had declared that she would _‘never stop fighting for him’_. Another mirror swirled, there was no sound this time, just the image of her in Regina’s tower. It was a stunning moment of clarity. Belle was looking at herself in the mirror. She had spent months, possibly longer, locked in that tower. That was how it had all gone wrong.

Another mirror swirled coming to life, showing an image from her days in the dark castle. The picture, was again soundless and it displayed Rumplestiltskin snuffing out a candle, and leaving the tower room.

_“My end will not be a happy one,” Rumplestiltskin muttered._

Then another mirror sparked, and another, all showing images from the dark castle. Her subconscious was conjuring them to prove the theory, her lightening bolt realization. Another mirror swirled showing the underworld library yet again. The image was of her, tears pricking her eyes, shaking her head in denial.

_“No. No. I .. I can’t condone you being like this. Not again,” Belle said._

All the mirrors went dark, except one, swirling and showing an image of the inside of the shop. Her face filled the frame, it was a mask of hurt, like she couldn’t believe what was happening.

_“You’re still a man who makes wrong choices. I thought you’d changed,” Belle said, her anguish audible._

_“What? In the hour you’ve known me?” Rumplestiltskin shot back._

_Belle’s face crumpled and she ran for the door._

_“Belle, I .. I’m sorry. Belle, I’m sorry, I am,” Rumplestiltskin called out after her._

The mirror went dark. It was a simple truth the mirrors were displaying. Rumplestiltskin hadn’t changed, he had never changed. He had always been this man, he was who he was - a man and a beast.

Rumplestiltskin hadn’t changed. It was her, she had lost her way. She had forgotten the truth of things, she had warped reality to her own beliefs. All those months locked alone in that tower. She had only her memories for company and over time the memories had changed. She had wanted to remember the good, and forget the bad, so her memories had formed a rosy picture, of how everything would ideally have been. So much so she had lost touch with what had actually happened.

That day by the spinning wheel, it was true loves kiss - they were true love - and true love meant true acceptance. She had that once, she had seen Rumplestiltskin for who he was and loved him anyway. However, that wasn’t the ‘acceptable’ thing to do. She was a good person, she wanted to be a hero, which meant she should love a good man.

Another mirror swirled, showing her wrapped in her green cloak walking alongside Regina on the road. That was the day everything had gone wrong because she had made a critical mistake. She hadn’t understood that Rumplestiltskin’s curse and his power were connected. Even if she had, she might have thought losing the curse was worth the price but that hadn’t been her decision to make.

She had acted rashly and without consideration of the consequences. Belle smiled wryly, that appeared to be something of a character flaw. She took a deep breath, talk about altering your world view in just a few minutes. However, she supposed this is what she had been building towards the entire time she’d been trapped in this mirrored room. The sleeping curse hadn’t been her best idea but it had given her time to think, time to get some much needed perspective.

Now, all she needed to do was decide what happened next. Belle assumed that she would be woken from this curse at some point, hopefully soon, and she needed to know by then what she wanted to do. It would be a mistake to rush into anything. However, Rumplestiltskin was her husband, they might be estranged but she hoped that wouldn’t be the case forever.

Belle knew that she would never condone his dark actions but really, aside from the hat debacle which was all mixed up with losing Neal, what had he really done in recent times? This would be something that they would discuss. She wanted to know everything, no more secrets or lies, and then they could move on. Perhaps he could become the man Merlin spoke of in his prophecy and they could work together to solve problems, rather than Rumplestiltskin trying to deal with it alone. She still didn't condone the darkness, Belle held onto that sliver of belief, it was like a balm against her conscience.

However, she felt like her blinders had been removed, Rumplestiltskin wasn't the only one capable of dark deeds, people made choices and sometimes they made mistakes. Her choices surrounding Anna and the memory stone came to mind. Her original actions in choosing the stone over Anna was bad enough. However, she had then tried to cover it up. She had lied, she had thought she was using the dagger against Rumplestiltskin. The nearest mirror swirled, forming an image of the shop.

_“I was worried you were going to say that. Because I really, really didn't want to do this,” Belle said sadly, raising the dagger and holding it aloft in front of her._

_“Belle, I gave you that dagger because I trusted you ... because I thought you would never want to control me,” Rumplestiltskin said._

Belle swallowed and closed her eyes. Looking back now, she could barely believe her own actions. She had regretted it soon after but regret didn’t erase what she had done. If she wanted an example of dark deeds, that was a really good example. She had enslaved someone - her own husband. It was especially awful given his recent enslavement at Zelena’s hands, and that he would have helped her if she had only been honest.

_“I know, I know and I'm so, so sorry Rumple but if you won't come with me willingly, what choice do I have? Take me to the Snow Queen,” Belle ordered._

The mirror went dark, the memory was over. Rumplestiltskin wasn't the only one who had made mistakes. They were both to blame for the mess their marriage had become. She hadn't listened to him, she had thought if she pretended hard enough that everything was alright then it would be alright. His time with Zelena, Neal's death, they'd never dealt with it, instead she had thrown herself into the 'happily ever after' because she had wanted it badly, as had Rumplestiltskin, because it was easier to pretend than admit the truth.

Belle nodded, it was the easiest decision in the world really, she wanted to reconcile but she wanted to do it properly this time. There were several very overdue conversations, they needed to have, and it would take time. However, they would hopefully have that time, if the frequent Storybrooke crises could leave them alone for five minutes. She looked down at her stomach and smiled, they had a little less than nine months to sort themselves out as a couple - then they would become a family.

*****

Rumplestiltskin paused in the doorway of the master bedroom, in the house in the land of untold stories. He hadn’t manage to sleep much the night before, despite his best intentions. His mind had been spinning with all his hopes and fears ... mostly his fears and even when he did manage to snatch an hour or two, his dreams had been troubled.

Belle was laying on the bed, outwardly peaceful, even though he knew that the sleeping curse was anything but peaceful. The only indicator that it wasn’t a natural sleep, was the fact that her chest wasn’t rising and falling. She looked dead and he swallowed at the thought. What if he couldn’t wake her? What if he couldn’t save her and their child?

He shook himself, that line of thought wasn’t helpful. He had told himself last night that he would gather his courage and try true loves kiss again today. He was finally ready to give it everything, however scared he was that it wouldn’t be enough. If it failed again, then their love would have broken and there would be no coming back from that.

_“I just wanted you. I wanted to be chosen,” Belle cried._

Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes, the memory of the town line kept coming back. He kept trying to push it away but it was insidious, playing on his mind in a loop, like the elephant in the room. That night on the town line had been the end of their relationship in many respects. Belle had banished him, believing he could never come back. His subsequent return, the authors alternate world, the apprentice sucking the darkness from him, the business with Emma and Excalibur .. the well.

He gulped, their one night together which had resulted in their child, it had hardly been a reconciliation. There was so much left unsaid. He wanted to make it work but Belle hadn’t been sure at the well, _‘I don’t know that I want to make it work’_ had been her comment, and they hadn’t talked about her return and their night together. That might not mean a thing. There hadn’t been time, there was never enough time.

“Ok Belle,” Rumplestiltskin breathed. He moved into the room, until he was standing next to her. “I choose you.”

He slowly leant down to kiss her but he hesitated, his lips just an inch from hers. If this curse did take his power then he would be unable to wield the apprentices wand. They would be trapped in the land of untold stories, and while Belle would no doubt find it a fascinating place to visit, it wasn't home. Home was Storybrooke now, it was where Henry was and Baelfire’s grave. If he was going to attempt this, he needed to be back in Storybrooke first.

Besides, Rumplestiltskin smirked to himself, there were potentially several added bonuses to being in town. He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew Pandora’s Box.

“One last trip Belle and then we’ll be home,” he promised, as the red tendrils of magic reached for her, taking her back into the box for the last time.

He put the box back in his pocket, and then drew the apprentices wand. Rumplestiltskin waved it and a door appeared. It was time to return to Storybrooke, time to put his faith in the most powerful magic of all - true loves kiss.

*****

Regina had barely reached the tree line when she was suddenly in the fight of her life. The dead might have been streaming out from there, heading towards the town to fulfill their deadly purpose. However, it became obvious that plenty of them had stayed behind to protect the cauldron that spawned them. The dead reached for her, Regina stumbled back, throwing out her arm and teleporting back several feet, to join the others.

David looked at her. “We’ll need to do this together. If we can draw them out, then we can take them one by one. Emma, if you and Regina can freeze them, there’ll be no need for a long fight.”

“Oh yes, we’ll do all the work, as usual,” Regina mumbled.

She wasn’t really serious in her complaints but she was tired. The price of the magic she’d already used was calling, but she pushed it away viciously, she only needed to keep going for just a little longer and then it would be over.

As a team, they moved forward. The dead lunged towards them and they took them out, two at a time, just as David had proposed. They slowly made their way through, entering the forest and the fight got harder, and quicker. Regina growled, drawing on her pure will to keep going, there was a reason magic wasn’t generally used in battles. The well appeared up ahead, the cauldron on the forest floor in front of it. Silver smoke flowed from it, all around, snaking along the floor until it faded.

Regina looked around, taking a breath. The dead seemed to have retreated, it could just be a lull in the fighting or perhaps the fight was over. She couldn’t spot her ‘worst self’ but she knew that the Evil Queen had to be around here somewhere, as the final defense. The Evil Queen would be watching, and would strike whenever the optimal moment presented itself, it’s what she would do.

“How do we shut it down?” David asked.

“I saw this movie as a kid,” Emma admitted. Regina looked at her, Emma looked very uncomfortable, her gaze was firm on the ground and she refused to meet their eyes. “Someone needs to jump in the cauldron. A willing sacrifice will end the spell.”

“And kill whomever does it,” David finished, his expression grave.

David’s eyes flickered over the group. Regina took a deep breath, raising her head resolutely. The solution seemed obvious. They all had someone they cared about, they all had someone that would miss them. If a sacrifice had to be made, she knew who should be doing the sacrificing. This was the end of the road, the road that she had started them down - it had to be her.

“Off to save Storybrooke again eh? I’ll do it, it should be me,” Hook offered, pasting an uncertain smile on his face.

“No Killian!” Emma exclaimed. She grabbed the lapels of his jacket and shook her head sadly.

“I’ve had a long life,” Hook said slowly. “Perhaps this was why I was brought back. You’ve got family Swan.”

“You’re my family too,” Emma argued, tears prickling at her eyes.

“Aye, but think of the lad,” Hook said gently.

Regina shifted uncomfortably, and shared a glance with David. For once she had to agree that Hook had a point. Out of all of them there, Hook had the least family. He was Emma’s boyfriend and that was the extent of it. David had Snow, and baby Neal. Emma had Henry and she had Henry and baby Robyn. In more normal circumstances, Regina would have agreed that Hook was the logical choice, but with her ‘worst self’ behind this, they were anything but normal circumstances. She should be the one to take responsibility for her own actions, like she told Henry, actions have consequences.

Emma was staring into Hook’s eyes. Regina swallowed and opened her mouth to say that this whole melodrama wasn’t necessary, when she was interrupted. Don Quixote leapt into the clearing, his sword bloody and aloft in the air. He looked exhilarated.

“For Dulcinea!” Don Quixote roared, and without hesitation jumped into the cauldron.

The billowing smoke stopped and dissipated quickly as the cauldron powered down. There was a loud thump and several bodies fell to the ground, like puppets who had their strings cut. Regina grimaced, the clean-up was going to be ‘fun’ and of course they still had no idea what the casualties of this attack had been. She hoped that the numbers weren’t high, but a single death would be one too many.

“How did he break out?” David asked idly, staring at the cauldron, shocked at the sudden turn of events.

“It was a zombie attack,” Emma shrugged. “They were ripping the town apart. Everyone could have broken out, those heartless townspeople could be the next problem. I’m just so relieved none of us had to ...”

Emma trailed off. Hook put his arm round her and held her close, dropping a kiss onto the top of her head. “It’s alright Swan,” he murmured.

“We need to get back into town,” David suggested.

Regina shook her head. “You can go but my place is here. It’s time to end this.”

David frowned, puzzled and Regina felt a pang. She wished that she knew it would be alright, as she doubted they would ever forgive her otherwise, but the Evil Queen had yet to make an appearance and she thought she knew why. This was going to end with a confrontation between the two of them, a replay of the rooftop but with a far more uncertain ending. She had to make up for her mistake, she should never have split herself.

This attack - it was her fault. If she hadn’t been weak, then this whole cauldron business wouldn’t have happened. She was undeniably responsible but that wasn’t what this confrontation would be about. She knew herself and she suspected how this might end. The Evil Queen was all about revenge and there was just one target left - herself.

*****

_~Flashback~_  
_A couple of weeks ago probably_

“John!” Michael Darling bellowed, through the small house they had been granted in Storybrooke.

John came clattering down the stairs, adjusting his glasses. He frowned at his brother. “Where’s the fire?”

“Pay dirt!” Michael crowed. “Gold might not be there but that bug is still working for us.”

He tapped a few keys on the laptop keyboard, scrolling back on the recording. The bug was sound activated which helped preserve the battery and made the recordings smaller. However, unfortunately it couldn’t only activate on important conversations, listening through normal everyday happenings at the shop was a boring necessary evil.

_“What's... What's going on? I got your text,” Violet asked, the bell ringing as she entered the shop._

_“It's my grandpa. He's trying to steal Storybrooke's magic. It made me realize how bad it is. It's always magic. Always. Magic turned my mom into a Dark One, it took away the man my other mom loved, and now... now I think it's going to tear my parents apart. I used to think there was light and dark magic, but it's all bad,” Henry explained passionately._

“That’s good right?” Michael grinned. John nodded absently, still listening to the recording.

_“Come with me on a road trip. It's like a quest but on a bus, which is like a horse but with wheels and seats. Just... just come with me?” Henry asked awkwardly._

_“There's just one more thing we're going to need. I promised I'd never use this pen to do anything besides record what happens, but what we're about to do is for the greater good,” Henry told her._

_Violet gasped. “What's that?”_

_“The crystal my grandpa tethered Storybrooke's magic to,” Henry said._

“Wait for it,” Michael told John encouragingly, seeing his puzzled frown.

_“I don't understand. You said magic is bad. Why are we going to take it out of Storybrooke?” Violet asked, voicing John’s question._

_“To destroy it, once and for all,” Henry declared._

“Oh wow,” John breathed, meeting Michael’s excited gaze. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“The firework display last night means we can finally leave town,” Michael suggested, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“That we can finally fulfill the mandate of the Home Office,” John continued.

John stared into the distance, not seeing the wall of the kitchen, instead seeing New York and the storybooks and the grail. When they had first come to Storybrooke, they hadn’t brought them to town. They were still under orders from Pan at the time, and those books and the grail were their ace in the hole. They hadn’t wanted Pan to know about them, or to ever get hold of them.

They hadn’t been able to leave town since. They had been caught in the reversal of the curse, winding up in the Enchanted Forest for a year. Then the Snow Queen had cursed the line, so anyone who left couldn’t come back. This was the first time that they could leave and they were also presented with an unbelievable opportunity.

“I don’t quite understand,” Michael frowned. “Both his mothers have magic, his grandfather is the dark one. Even after everything magic did to his father, Baelfire never wanted to destroy magic.”

John shrugged. “Well it is logical, magic has destroyed so much of what he loves, why wouldn’t he want it gone? Although maybe it is because of Baelfire. Henry barely had any time with him after all, perhaps he misunderstood something he said. Maybe he found Tamara’s journals, we never got them back remember? It’s not like he would know Baelfire’s handwriting and if they were among his possessions ....”

“We can use this misunderstanding though,” Michael pointed out, echoing John’s own thoughts. “We don’t have to destroy magic, we just need to get the grail into Henry’s hands, he’ll do it for us.”

“How? It’s in the vault, in the basement of our apartment in New York. He’s hardly going to find it,” John thought aloud. Suddenly he had an idea, he clicked his fingers. “If we leave a note in Baelfire’s apartment pointing to the location, something public like the ... public library. We then put the books and the grail there and ...”

“Nobody will suspect a thing,” Michael finished. “We’ll have to hustle though. Henry and his girlfriend are leaving now.”

“They’ll be getting the bus.” John flashed him a smile. “We can drive, so we’ll beat them there easily. Have a couple of hours to get everything in place.”

When his father had told him of their legacy - the Home Office, John had vowed that he would fulfill his families destiny. Today, it was finally going to happen. Today, magic would be destroyed.

_~Flashback~_

*****

“You should go,” Regina suggested firmly.

“Stay if you’d like,” the Evil Queen drawled, stepping out from the trees, on the opposite side of the clearing. She prowled over, a smirk clear on her face. “I don’t mind the audience.”

“Why?” Regina asked sadly. “I don’t understand, all this ...” she gestured around the forest. “When we split, I told Snow that you ‘didn’t like her on a good day’ but you’ve not gone anywhere near her.”

“Snow White is old news,” the Evil Queen spat, her eyes flashed with anger, mixed with terrifying grief. “Snow didn’t kill Robin.”

Regina swallowed, suddenly everything began to make a horrifying amount of sense. She knew herself, she could see what had happened and why. It was all about revenge, as she knew it must have been.

“The town didn’t kill Robin,” David argued. He took a step closer and the Evil Queen threw out her hand, sending a pulse of magic, it hit him in his chest, forcing him stumbling back.

“Emma dragged us all to the underworld,” the Evil Queen snarled. “Without _her_ , Hades would never have come to Storybrooke, he would never have been in a position to kill Robin.”

“So attacking the town, it’s like attacking the _‘savior’_ ,” Regina explained hollowly. It made sick sense and she understood the thought process behind it completely. “It proves Emma incompetent, it drowns her with the failure of her appointed duty.” Regina raised dead eyes and looked at her ‘worst self’. “Zelena?”

“Zelena killed Hades,” the Evil Queen said coldly. “Robbing me of the chance to take my revenge personally. Oh I know, Hades is alive once more but he wasn’t the real culprit. Hades might have killed Robin but he said that he did it for Zelena, because he loved her.” She smiled sadly. “This time I’m placing the blame where it truly belongs.”

Regina nodded. With Daniel’s death, she had blamed Snow when she really should have blamed her mother. It made sense what her ‘worst self’ had done to Zelena. Rumplestiltskin had twisted her into a monster but it had ultimately been her choice, she had chosen darkness. He hadn’t made her walk the path but he had given her the tools to destroy herself. Now the ‘Evil Queen’ had made her own monster.

“Let me guess, seeing as I know you so well,” Regina joked, though her heart wasn’t in it. “Watching Zelena lose any chance of a happy ending, that’s far more satisfying than attacking her directly?”

“But of course,” the Evil Queen smirked. “We have learned a few things over the years.”

“Which just leaves one more target for revenge,” Regina noted sadly. “Me.”

The Evil Queen nodded, tears glimmering in her eyes. “Robin died saving us, we’re not worthy of such sacrifice. He was a good man ... Roland,” her voice cracked. “We should have died for him. It should have been us.”

“It shouldn’t have been anyone,” Emma interrupted, looking between the two of them uncertainly. “It wasn’t your fault, you were right before - it was mine!”

“There’s enough blame to go around,” the Evil Queen muttered.

“Something we can agree on,” Regina said forcefully, her voice shaking. She sniffed, choking back tears of her own.

“Wait, did you say Hades was alive?” David asked, breaking the awkward silence.

As attempts went for changing the subject Regina had to admit that wasn’t a bad play. She looked at her ‘worst self’, raising an eyebrow challengingly before shrugging as it seemed the ‘Evil Queen’ wasn’t in an explaining mood.

“Cruella said the same. That’s how the river of lost souls ...”

“Regina!” Emma screamed.

Regina threw up her arm instinctively, and growled. That was the second fireball she’d had to deflect today. She glared at her ‘worst self’ but didn’t form a fireball of her own - not yet, she started into the Evil Queen’s eyes. It was now a contest of who was going to blink first. After a moment the Evil Queen laughed.

“You do realize what would happen don’t you? I am a creature of magic after all,” the Evil Queen said deliberately.

“You’re the one that just tried to kill me,” Regina remarked dryly. “But yes, if you kill me, it will kill us both ... we’re connected.”

“I know,” the Evil Queen whispered, a single tear tracked down her cheek.

Regina swallowed, she couldn’t feel the staggering depths of self-loathing her ‘worst self’ was experiencing. Instead it was like the ghost of a memory, she knew what it felt like having lived with it for a long time. That was the mistake she had made when she had split herself. She hadn’t just split the darkness.

Instead, she had split her grief and her pain. She had shattered her feelings, breaking them in two. It was unnatural, and that was why her emotional control had been all over the place since the split. She had felt some things keenly, and others she had unintentionally given to her ‘worst self’. No wonder the Evil Queen had taken this path, she had all of the grief, the anger, the roiling darkness in her soul and nothing to balance it with.

“The end of the Evil Queen,” Regina murmured. She bowed her head in surrender, this had always been her fate, she’d just avoided it for over thirty years.

A loud thump echoed through the clearing. Regina looked up, feeling the spark of magic in the air. She blinked, seeing the ornately decorated doorway between realms, which was the signature of the apprentices wand. Emma shot her an uncertain look but Regina was unconcerned, she was almost positive that it was her one-time mentor who was about to step through. A moment later the door swung open, proving her right, as Rumplestiltskin returned to Storybrooke.


	15. Chapter 15

When Rumplestiltskin stepped through the door, he didn’t know where in Storybrooke it would have spawned. That it was by the well was unsurprising, that was the source of magic in this town. That there was an audience to his arrival, which included two versions of Regina, was a surprise. He absently waved the wand, closing the doorway before placing the wand back into his jacket pocket.

“Well, well Regina, you have been busy,” Rumplestiltskin smirked. “Jekyll gifted you his serum. That’s ... a mistake. If you thought the dark curse left a hole in your heart, that’s nothing compared to actually splitting yourself. Why did you do it?”

“I wanted a fresh start,” Regina told him defensively. She bristled. “I’m surprised you aren’t interested yourself.”

“Oh no.” Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “As we discussed dearie, I know who and what I am. I accept my darkness, it’s part of me. It’s as much who I am as the light, it’s not either/or and the same is true for you. This is doing you no favors.”

Rumplestiltskin’s eyes flickered between Regina and the Evil Queen. He hoped that Regina would listen to him, for he did care about her. They had a complicated history but ultimately they were now family through Henry, something he was going to remind them more often. He wanted his family, that’s part of the reason why he was here. He wanted a relationship with Henry, and they would never believe anything they didn’t witness with their own eyes.

His hand itched to pull out Pandora’s Box but the Evil Queen had always been unpredictable, and she had used Belle against him in the past. He wouldn’t risk Belle or their child, Regina would need to take care of her ‘worst self’ before he could attempt true loves kiss.

“I don’t have all day dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said encouragingly.

The Evil Queen snorted. “You are welcome to leave. This doesn’t concern you.”

Regina stepped forward. The Evil Queen raised her hand to form a fireball but nothing happened, she looked down at her hand like it had betrayed her.

“No!” the Evil Queen growled.

*****

The hum of the magic was undeniable. Regina had felt the connection between the two of them, the moment she had worked out the truth. She had thought perhaps that she hadn’t succeeded in crushing the Evil Queen’s heart because that was a magical death, and a magical death wouldn’t work on a magical construct. For a moment she had believed that the only option to ‘defeat the Evil Queen’ was her death.

Rumplestiltskin’s sudden appearance was well-timed. It wasn’t that she wanted to die, she just had a moment of doubt when she didn’t know if she could live with the Evil Queen beneath her skin once more. The weight of the dark deeds was heavy on her soul but perhaps Rumplestiltskin had a point. She had thought in New York that he was embracing the darkness but now she heard his words differently - right when she needed them the most.

She had been saying that ‘actions had consequences’ ever since the split. It had made her thoughts clearer in a way, even if it had done a number on her feelings at the same time. She also knew that she needed to take responsibility for everything that had happened, for the Evil Queen’s actions and just generally as Mayor. However, owning her actions was a scary prospect. It was doing what was right, not what was easy. By opting for the split she had been weak, but she’d been tired and heartbroken. There were many excuses for her decision, but now she had to make the choice again, and this time she needed to make the _right_ choice.

It was time to accept her past, not bury it. She needed to live with what she’d done, because it was part of her. After all, at the time, she had wanted to do all the evil things she had done. Now, she would always have that internal battle of knowing right from wrong - and wanting to do wrong anyway. This was her penance, and in a way it was a far worthier revenge than death.

Death was easy, it was living that was hard. If she truly wanted revenge against herself for Robin’s death, she would live with it everyday and use it to do better. It would never make up for what happened but she had to live _for_ Robin, quite frankly it was the least she could do.

Regina reached out and grabbed her ‘worst self’, pulling her close and accepting her back. The Evil Queen flashed red with the magic that had spawned her, and she faded as she flowed into Regina. The split was healed, it was the end of the Evil Queen. She had been defeated once by Snow turning her from enemy, back into the family they should always have been. Now, Regina defeated her, by accepting the darkness was part of her - she was both.

*****

“Regina, are you ok?” Emma asked hesitantly.

Rumplestiltskin snorted, although he supposed he should be grateful that neither of the three members of today’s peanut gallery had interrupted. “I imagine it will take some time.”

“Crocodile!” Hook roared. He brandished his sword and took a step forward before obviously thinking better of it. “You pushed Milah into the river of lost souls.”

“My, that is quite an accusation,” Rumplestiltskin said automatically.

Truthfully he was a little stunned. Storybrooke had clearly been busy while he’d been gone, and he hadn’t even been gone that long. Quite how the pirate became aware of that particular piece of history, was something of a mystery. Although, in a way it was a good thing. Those types of secrets always tended to come to light at the worst possible moments, it was far better to get everything out in the open now.

“Not something I wanted to do,” Rumplestiltskin admitted quickly, before the situation spiraled out of control. “Hades was playing games. He knew we were there the entire time. You and Miss Swan would never have made it out ...”

“Don’t pretend you did it for us,” Hook shouted angrily.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. “Believe what you will. I confess I did it for me as well, I didn’t want to be trapped down there for eternity anymore than you did. It was a necessary evil, one I regretted.”

“You’re incapable of regret!” Hook spat.

“Again, believe what you will,” Rumplestiltskin said, his voice gaining a hard edge.

He reached into his pocket and withdrew Pandora’s Box. A moment later the red tendrils of magic flowed from the box, depositing Belle gently on the forest floor. Rumplestiltskin crouched down next to her and took a deep breath. This was it, this was the moment of truth. If this worked, it should break more than one curse, and he was ready for that. He was tired of being the town pariah and hopefully this would be the start of a new future - if it worked.

Rumplestiltskin bent his head and focused on his love for Belle, and their child. His lips gently brushed Belle’s, before he kissed her more firmly and finally felt the most welcome pulse of magic he had ever felt - true loves kiss. The rainbow pulse crossed over the town, finally breaking the third dark curse.

Unknown to anyone by the well, out on the town line, the tree that was Dopey shook. The tree transformed back into a dwarf, pitching Dopey forward over the town line. He staggered to his feet and looked around for his brothers, confused as to why they had left him alone. He twisted and looked behind him, but there was nothing to say what had happened. Shrugging, he started the slow trek back into town.

Back at the well Rumplestiltskin pulled back, barely breathing as he waited for Belle to say or do anything. Belle’s eyes flew open, she bolted upright and looked directly at him. She stared for a long moment, her eyes searching his expression, before she twisted and saw their shell-shocked audience. Then her eyes landed on the well, her mouth twisted at the irony and tears prickled her eyes. She looked back at Rumplestiltskin.

“You chose me,” Belle whispered.

“I’ll always choose you Belle,” Rumplestiltskin murmured, his eyes were only for her. It was as if, they were the only ones here. He held his hand out and Belle accepted, letting him help her stand up from the forest floor.

“Well, Gold ... I didn’t know you had it in you,” Regina said, obviously stunned.

Rumplestiltskin smirked and looked at Hook, who was starting to reach an unfortunate conclusion - for him that is. In different times, he would have let Hook make a fool of himself, but instead he clicked his fingers and conjured a rose. Regina’s eyes nearly bugged out, Emma gasped, David looked surprisingly pleased and Hook scowled.

“For you, if you’ll have it,” Rumplestiltskin repeated his words from long ago, offering the rose to Belle.

Belle smiled at the memory, before frowning and he knew she was thinking of Gaston. She took the rose but looked at him, obviously puzzled, before voicing the question everyone in the clearing wanted to ask.

“You still have magic?” Belle asked. Rumplestiltskin nodded uncertainly and opened his mouth to explain but Belle brightened. “You’re a sorcerer now, like Merlin? You’ve succeeded in his prophecy, in turning the darkness to light?”

Rumplestiltskin grimaced, he hoped that she wouldn’t be too disappointed but he couldn’t change the facts. He wasn’t going to lie to her, not again. “No, I’m still the dark one,” he admitted.

“I don’t understand, true loves kiss should have broken that curse,” Belle stated, in confusion.

“Once upon a time it would have, once upon a time it nearly did,” Rumplestiltskin told her. “However, it’s not a curse, not anymore. A curse is something place on the unwilling, a deal a desperate man didn’t understand.”

“I don’t get it,” Emma interrupted.

“It’s quite simple dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said congenially.

He stared directly at the woman who had been his successor and predecessor. Then his eyes flickered over to Regina, before landing on David. He only truly cared if Belle understood his explanation, but he thought out of everyone on the ‘heroes’ side, it might be his former student and the shepherd who would understand this best.

“Darkness can’t be turned to light. There has to be a balance. Light and dark, can’t have one without the other. Using darkness for light however, that is possible,” Rumplestiltskin explained.

“You said that in the underworld,” Belle pointed out. “But the darkness ... think about what it did to your heart Rumple. Using it ... it’s bad.”

“Regina, I told you in New York that intentions are meaningless. Certainly when it comes to ...” Rumplestiltskin sneered. “Karma if you will, and by that I mean good actions don’t always lead to good outcomes, then I was right, intentions aren't worth anything. However, when it comes to using the darkness, I was very wrong. Intentions are everything. It wasn’t the darkness that blackened my heart, that was the dark deeds, not the magic.”

“Power, you’re talking about power,” Regina said, her face dawning with realization.

Rumplestiltskin looked at Belle, who was still wearing an adorable frown as she tried to puzzle out what he was saying. Perhaps he wasn’t being clear but this was vital. Belle had said she couldn’t condone the darkness, but maybe if the darkness wasn’t so dark, then maybe then they could have a future. He could have both his family and his power, he needed both, he needed his power _for_ his family and he hoped Belle would understand that given time. They would need to discuss this a lot more, and privately.

“Darkness is a source of power, true love is a source of power. Power is power. I can do light magic with the darkness, and true love can do dark magic. These two sources of power differ in a number of respects. For example, how they are accessed, or that some spells require more power from one kind than another, they are different yet the same,” Rumplestiltskin lectured.

His eyes flickered over the group. Hook looked obstinate, his face set in a mulish expression, Rumplestiltskin doubted that Hook had even heard a word that he had said. Emma was frowning, like Belle, clearly trying to understand. David, again looked surprisingly accepting and Rumplestiltskin looked at him, wondering if the shepherd turned Prince had finally regained his backbone. Regina looked happy, and Rumplestiltskin could understand why, it meant she could be more comfortable in her own skin. When she reached for magic, she wouldn’t be reaching for the Evil Queen.

“Down in the underworld I started to realize something,” Rumplestiltskin continued. “I tried to tell you, Regina, in New York that you can’t partition the darkness, it can’t be contained. It’s a part of you and it's a part of me, as much as any other. Belle, you know what while I was in the underworld I talked about light and dark magic but really what is the difference? Intent and results, that is what is different. Magic is magic, power is power. It doesn’t have to be either/or. It’s a part of all of us.”

Rumplestiltskin’s eyes met Belle’s. “No more heroes, no more villains ...”

“We are both,” David interrupted.

Rumplestiltskin frowned. What had happened in the short time he had been gone from Storybrooke? Whatever it was, it was momentous. For the first time since shortly after the breaking of the first dark curse, a ‘Charming’ wasn’t looking at him as if he were evil incarnate. It was rather refreshing, not to mention appreciated.

After all, if his child was going to have any kind of life, then he wanted the town to start accepting him. He had thought it was never going to happen, but it was obvious he wasn’t the only one who had done some soul-searching recently. However, the towns opinion of him wasn’t his priority right now, it was Belle’s opinion that mattered. Rumplestiltskin looked at Belle, his eyes roamed her face but he couldn’t read her.

“Belle?” Rumplestiltskin prompted.

“We'll need to talk about this later,” Belle said slowly.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, he understood, it was a lot to take in at once. “Of course sweetheart, we'll need to talk about a lot of things.”

“What, not going to propose with a fake dagger again?” Hook sneered.

“Killian!” Emma glared at him.

Hook shrugged, completely unrepentant. “I'm sorry love but you said it yourself, True loves kiss didn't work because Belle didn't want to be with the crocodile.”

Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to object, after all, Hook had just witnessed their true loves kiss with his own eyes. He had thought that ‘seeing was believing’ and had thought it was the one thing they wouldn’t doubt. However, perhaps he should have known that they would still find a way to twist it somehow. He glanced at Belle, who’s eyes were narrowed, she looked angry. Before either of them could say anything, David intervened.

“But it did work,” David pointed out quietly.

Hook snorted. “Yeah now that he's done something dark and ....”

David shook his head. “There was no darkness in that kiss.”

“And Belle is welcome to the dagger,” Rumplestiltskin added quickly. It was as good a time as any to set the record straight on this, before anyone started getting dangerous ideas. He smirked. “Not that it would do her much good, aside from the sharpness of the blade of course.”

Regina rolled her eyes, having clearly realized what he meant. He met her eyes, reading the ‘you are a lucky bastard’ clear as day and she wasn’t wrong. The whole debacle with the hat, had just been him trying to ensure his freedom. The dagger could make him do anything - even hurt those he loved. Zelena had more than proven that, and done so in full view of the entire town. Emma was frowning, puzzled and he thought he better explain.

“Oh come now Miss Swan, do you really think I would be displaying an object which could control me in my shop?”

“But Rumple in the underworld ...” Belle started.

Rumplestiltskin sighed, this was a conversation he would much rather have in private. “It was shock that you would ... again ...” he struggled and shook his head. “We can talk about it later but the dagger, it doesn't control me any longer.”

Belle’s eyes flickered with remorse and Rumplestiltskin held his breath, wondering what she would say. She had regretted using the dagger against him, when it hadn’t really been the dagger, but then she had used the real thing to throw him out of Storybrooke. He had brought that on himself, and he didn’t blame her one bit, but it had hurt all the same. Belle had never needed a dagger to control him, all she had to do was talk to him.

“I need the wand Gold,” Regina said abruptly, changing the subject before Belle could say anything. “I need to go to the underworld Hades is alive.”

“How?” Rumplestiltskin asked, unwillingly tearing his gaze from Belle to look at Regina.

“I don't know,” Regina admitted. She shifted uncomfortably. “But if Hades is alive, do you think ... Robin?”

“Not likely,” Rumplestiltskin said brusquely.

“Rumple!” Belle remonstrated.

Rumplestiltskin grimaced, he supposed he had just destroyed all hope with two words. After all, Regina thought that Robin had been her true love. However, the facts were the facts and dressing them up nicely wouldn’t change them.

He sighed. “Hades had magic, likely anchored himself to survive, much like your dear sister. Robin Hood had no such luxury mores the pity.” He explained. Regina shot him a sharp look, likely not expecting any sympathy from him, but then Robin had perhaps never mentioned his dealings with the dark one. “He was a good man and he deserved better,” he said shortly.

Regina nodded in agreement. She cleared her throat and stared challengingly at him. “Alright then Gold, one last question. The apprentice said if we wanted to destroy the darkness, we had to remember Nimue. How does that mesh with your theories on light and dark?”

“Miss Swan could answer that one.” Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes at Emma’s blank look. “You surely must remember how Nimue became the dark one in the first place. What she wanted, what she was trying to do?”

“Revenge,” Emma muttered.

“Hatred and grief,” Rumplestiltskin agreed. “The very fuel of dark magic. You can lose yourself to those emotions, and the magic starts to control you, rather than you controlling it.”

“So ...” David frowned.

“Correct the path, use the magic for the purpose it was intended,” Emma interrupted, with dawning realization. She shook her head. “But with all those dark ones, all those centuries of dark deeds. It would take ...”

“Someone who pulled Excalibur from the stone, someone with a pure heart, albeit magically scrubbed. Perhaps, someone who was the dark one longer than all of the other dark ones combined. I told you Miss Swan, I put the power in a safe place,” Rumplestiltskin explained. Hook snorted again but thankfully stayed quiet this time.

“So what do we do about Hades?” David asked.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. “I would suggest we don’t borrow trouble.”

Regina nodded in agreement. “Cruella said that once the cauldron shut down, the souls that were here would return to the underworld. However, they’ll no longer be in the river, they’ll all have a chance to move on.”

“I hope they do,” David remarked.

“So what now?” Emma asked awkwardly.

Regina’s eyes flashed. “Now ... I will need that wand Gold. We need to go to Oz, I have to get back Robin’s daughter!”

*****

Ten minutes later they were back in the centre of town. Regina internally winced at the sight of all the damage the black cauldrons attack had caused. However, if it was just property damage that was nothing that time, and a spot of magic, couldn’t fix. Seeing half a dozen forms on the ground, draped in white sheets, destroyed that illusion. She knew they couldn’t have been that lucky.

“Who?” David asked simply, spotting Leroy among the crowd.

Leroy scowled and reeled off a list of names, far more than the half a dozen bodies they could see. Along with an added number, of people they didn’t have names for yet that were new arrivals. Regina mentally flinched at each name, nobody major had died but that was still no less a tragedy - one she was responsible for causing. As when King George had killed Billy and used the ‘he was a mouse’ as a defense, whoever someone was or whatever they had been, they hadn’t deserved to die this way.

“You know for a minute there I thought I was seeing double,” Leroy finished, clearly waiting for an explanation.

David grimaced, he vaguely remembered telling Leroy that he had a twin brother, but they were being chased by an angry giant at the time. It was no surprise really that Leroy didn’t remember, and the fact that he’d been ‘switched’ for his dead twin and wasn’t really a prince, wasn’t a story that very many people knew.

“Dopey!” Leroy roared, storming past David and wrapping Dopey in a bear hug, that was suddenly a group hug as the other five dwarves swarmed, to welcome back their missing member.

“David,” Snow called. David whirled round just in time. Snow threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. She pulled back and looked him straight in the eye. “That was awful David. We're not doing that again, we're supposed to fight together.”

“And we did,” David told her. He placed her hand over where his heart should be, but half of hers beat instead. “Family first remember? That's not just you and me anymore. We're a team even when we're apart because I know I can count on you. You're my hero everyday.”

“Oh Charming,” Snow murmured, tears glittering in her eyes. She leaned forward and softly kissed him again.

Regina wrinkled her nose and met Emma’s eyes, sharing a disgusted look at the sickly sweetness of it all. Although, Regina's lips twitched in momentary amusement, Emma looked distinctly uncomfortable at her parents affectionate exchange and turnabout was fair play. After all Emma and Hook's public displays of affection were often nauseating themselves.

“Here kid, let me take him,” Emma moved over to Henry, and took her baby brother from him, bouncing baby Neal lightly against her hip. “You alright?”

“Yeah, is mom ok?” Henry asked, shooting Regina a concerned glance.

Regina opened her mouth to reassure him, and to tell him that she wouldn’t be gone long when magic hummed in the air. She tensed and hoped that Rumplestiltskin would live up to his statements about light and dark, and step forward if necessary. Her magic was about tapped out, she needed at least a good nights sleep before fighting another battle. There was a pop and in the middle of the street, four people materialized.

Regina growled. “Zelena!”

“Oh don’t tell me sis, you won. You always get everything!” Zelena screamed. She looked at the row of bodies and smiled. “Well at least that was a start. I hoped to destroy this pathetic little town, this place has brought me nothing but pain.”

“I thought you wanted to be better Zelena?” Regina said sadly, most of the anger leaving her in a rush, at seeing her sister so unhinged once more.

Zelena was also securely bound, her arms were tied behind her back and each arm was held firmly by two women Regina didn’t know. Her magic pendant was no longer around her neck, Zelena couldn’t harm anyone at the moment, whatever her wishes. Regina’s eyes narrowed, staring at each of the three people with her. Ruby she of course recognized, who was cradling baby Robyn in her arms, and she assumed one of the others was her true love Dorothy.

“Give her to me,” Regina said hoarsely, holding out her arms for the baby.

“That’s my daughter, mine!” Zelena screeched as Ruby handed her over. Then her mouth kept moving but no sound came out. Regina twisted and saw Rumplestiltskin glaring at Zelena, no prizes for guessing who had silenced her this time.

“Granny!” Ruby exclaimed happily, running over and hugging her only living relative. “There’s someone I want you to meet. That’s Dorothy, my true love,” Ruby blushed. “And Mulan, who’s a very good friend, if it wasn’t for her then I never would have found Dorothy.”

“I take it you no longer need the wand,” Rumplestiltskin observed quietly, moving over to Regina’s side as Belle left his to speak to Ruby and Mulan.

“No,” Regina said softly, examining baby Robyn carefully but she was unharmed. She sniffed and kissed the babies soft forehead, amazed for the umpteenth time at a babies capability to sleep through anything.

“So this is baby Robyn?” Rumplestiltskin observed.

He smiled softly at the baby, and looked over at Belle. It didn’t take a great leap of imagination to flash forward nine months, and imagine Belle holding their child. He was sure that boy or girl, they would look just as sweet as the adorable little girl Regina was cradling.

“No ..” Regina shook her head. Rumplestiltskin frowned and Regina gave a slight nod. “Well yes ... but I'm going to rename her. She's Robin's daughter which is why her middle name will be Locksley but given the circumstances ....”

“Quite,” Rumplestiltskin said crisply, shooting Zelena a sour glare.

“I'm going to call her Eleanor,” Regina told him, voicing the name for the first time.

She hadn’t told anyone else that yet, which meant despite herself she looked at her old mentor, hoping for approval. Not that she cared whether he approved or not. Robin never got to name his daughter, but Regina hoped that she was doing the right thing. She would never know what Robin would have thought, and that was the hardest part.

Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat. “Names have power and that is strong name. It means light I believe.”

“Even better,” Regina murmured, smiling down warmly at ... Ellie. She would raise her as if she were her own, and love her just as fiercely as she loved Henry, and Ellie would grow up knowing all about her father. It was the best she could do.

“Uh, oh, trouble.” Emma walked over and gestured towards where the Darling’s had just entered the street. They were lingering on the outer edge of the crowd.

“Trouble?” Rumplestiltskin asked. “Regina, could you catch me up?”

“Darlings have been meeting with Sir Morgan, don’t know why but it smells like trouble,” Regina explained quickly.

“I’ll take care of it,” David offered.

David looked meaningfully at Emma, who quickly handed baby Neal back to Snow. The two sheriff’s walked over, Hook trailing behind them. Regina looked at Rumplestiltskin speculatively and he met her gaze, wondering what she was going to be asking now, although he could guess, it was relatively obvious.

“So out with it?” Regina said. He looked at her blankly and she rolled her eyes. “All magic comes with a price so out with it.”

“I don't know what you mean,” Rumplestiltskin said casually, admitting to nothing.

Regina snorted. “Save it Rumple for those that don't know you as well as I do.”

Rumplestiltskin sighed, allowing a small smirk to play on his lips, he was always going to tell her. He just enjoyed the banter first. “Everything I said about magic and dark and light is true ....”

“But?” Regina interrupted impatiently.

“But true love is the most powerful of all magic. You must have noticed it yourself after you broke the second dark curse,” Rumplestiltskin said, raising an eyebrow.

Regina nodded. “Dark magic requires hate and hating doesn't come as easy these days.”

“Exactly. Different power requires different emotion. Where I once used hate now perhaps ... “ He trailed off, his eyes finding Belle again.

“Love,” Regina suggested, following his gaze and looking faintly nauseated.

Rumplestiltskin smiled softly. “I was thinking more protection.”

“That's something I can agree with,” Regina said, looking over at Henry and then back at Ellie. The urge to protect her family was something she could draw on as naturally as breathing.

“How about you?” Rumplestiltskin asked. Regina raised an eyebrow and it was his turn to roll his eyes. “All magic comes with a price,” he reminded her, letting a bit of the dark one trill sneak through.

“Well, yes I did use a lot of magic today,” Regina allowed. “I won't have trouble sleeping for a week despite ... “ She broke off uncomfortably.

Taking back the Evil Queen meant taking back all that pain, all that grief and several new bad memories. It also brought everything back to the front of her mind, her greatest hits all playing out in her head, there was no escape from that. She expected nightmares, and once the magical exhaustion left, getting to sleep would likely be difficult. It was her penance, her price to pay for doing the right thing.

“I meant the split,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out unnecessarily.

“I have to live with all the evil queen did ... all I did,” Regina corrected herself. “I think that's price enough.”

*****

The gathering in the center of Main Street seemed to last forever. All Rumplestiltskin wanted to do was spend some time with Belle, maybe make a start on mending their relationship. However, Belle was chatting with Ruby and Mulan, swapping stories of everything that had happened to them since the last time they met. He was happy enough to watch her, just seeing her animated and alive was a huge balm to his soul. No matter what happened between them as a couple, Belle was awake and able to live her life, that’s all that ultimately mattered.

Suddenly, Belle dashed over to him. “Rumple?” she began, using the tone she used when she wanted something.

He smiled. “What can I do?”

“Mulan wants to go back to the Enchanted Forest, to find the merry men or Merida, apparently they’re friends. That’s why she accompanied Ruby and Dorothy to Storybrooke. Can you make her a portal with the apprentices wand?” Belle asked, smiling hopefully at him.

“Of course,” Rumplestiltskin agreed, reaching into his jacket pocket for the wand. His hand froze, as he thought of a much better idea. “Regina,” he called over. “Have you seen Jefferson lately?”

“No, he tends to keep to himself in his house ... why?” Regina asked, suspiciously.

Rumplestiltskin shrugged congenially. “I have no desire to become a portal factory. Jefferson was a portal jumper until the loss of his hat. I believe the apprentices wand could remake the hat, maybe even get rid of that annoying rule, you remember the one?”

“Same number in as out,” Regina grimaced. “I remember.”

“I can draw Mulan a portal now of course, or she can wait,” Rumplestiltskin offered.

“I can wait,” Mulan confirmed. “Are you suggesting that it’s not a one-way trip?”

“Oh no if this works, the lands will not be as disconnected as they once were. Visiting will be much easier,” Rumplestiltskin confirmed.

He looked around, some people would no doubt wish to return to the Enchanted Forest, or the land of untold stories, or whatever realm they came from, because they wanted to return home. However, there would be others who would want to stay in Storybrooke, because it had become home. Rumplestiltskin looked at Snow and David speculatively. David had dealt with the Darling’s and was back at his wife’s side, it would be interesting to see what they chose. He knew they had overheard the exchange.

“We talked about it once, if we could go back ...” David opened.

Snow shook her head. “Our home is here now David. Where our family was reunited.”

David smiled warmly. “I agree.”

“Rumple,” Belle said, pulling his attention immediately back to her. “Do you want to return to the dark castle?”

Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it, his quick mind spinning over that loaded question. It wasn’t really about what he wanted, it was about what Belle wanted, he would be happy anywhere, so long as they were together. They had been split apart so many times, he couldn’t even bear to think about being in a different realm from her. However, maybe he should take the question at face value. After all she had asked him, and she wanted him to be honest.

“Would you mind terribly if we don’t?” Rumplestiltskin asked hesitantly.

Belle’s eyebrows shot up, in clear surprise. “I thought you would want ...”

“I would rather stay near my grandson,” Rumplestiltskin admitted.

Although he still had no idea whether forging a relationship there would even be possible. Henry’s actions in New York cut deep. It wasn’t a question of forgiveness, because of course he would forgive Henry, but only if he wanted it. That would be what would hurt the most, if Henry continued on his path, and didn’t even care about the only paternal family he had. Henry called him ‘grandpa’ but there had never been much bonding on either side. Rumplestiltskin hoped that he could change that, but if Henry didn’t view him as family then that would never happen.

“Would you like to go home?” Rumplestiltskin asked awkwardly. They hadn’t had a moment to themselves since he woke her, and they had so much to talk about.

Belle shifted uncomfortably. “Rumple we need time - space. I was thinking I'd move back in above the library.”

Rumplestiltskin took a breath, tamping down his initial hurt reaction. It was only to be expected, Belle always left when they fought because she needed her space. It felt like she was rejecting him but intellectually he knew she wasn’t, even if his heart didn’t quite get that message.

“That's your choice of course, I'd never stop you from leaving but Belle if we're a couple, let's be a couple,” he said earnestly.

“Rumple ....” Belle shook her head, her expression twisted in pain.

“No I don't mean ...” Rumplestiltskin added quickly, realizing she’d misunderstood. He didn’t mean she couldn’t have her space, he was respecting her choice, he just couldn’t think how to explain it. He floundered, trying to find the words. “The house is large, separate rooms, our own space but we'd be together. I know we have a lot to work out but I want to be there for you, for our child.”

Belle looked thoughtful. “Tackle our problems together not alone?”

“Exactly,” he said firmly, his heart pounding in his chest.

He had missed Milah’s pregnancy with Bae. While that had never mattered, he had bonded with Bae the instant Milah had laid him in his arms, he didn’t want to miss a moment of the entire experience with Belle. He understood completely if Belle wasn’t ready, he would never force her to be with him, but if they wanted to work things out, surely address was irrelevant.

“I suppose if we need more space I can always move out later,” Belle mused, placing a hand on her stomach. It was far too early for any signs, ordinarily she wouldn’t even know she was pregnant. It was an unconscious move, meaning she was thinking of their child.

Rumplestiltskin smiled softly at the sight. He got the feeling that if things went well with Belle, or even if they didn’t, his reputation was going to be ruined. Their child would reveal his softer side far too easily. However, he didn’t mind that much. The reputation was useful in keeping people too scared to act against him, but maybe it was time for a new approach. Perhaps, it was time to shed the mantle of the town monster, even if it would be hell come rent day.

“I'd help you move,” Rumplestiltskin told her earnestly. He was desperate for her to believe him. “I really want this to work Belle. I do love you.”

Belle smiled and raised a hand, lightly brushing his cheek. His heart twisted, that was usually his move on her. “I know,” she said softly. “And I love you and one day that will be enough but ...”

“We still have a lot to work out,” Rumplestiltskin finished, grateful beyond measure that they still did have a lot to work out, it meant that a future was possible.

“But I'm ready to try now Rumple. I _know_ that I want to make it work,” Belle told him, gazing deeply into his eyes.

He sniffed, resolutely refusing to cry in public but the reversal of her statement, that Belle had made at the well, it meant everything to him. Belle’s lip trembled, just as deeply affected. He leant forward, unsure if he would be welcome but Belle’s lips met his own in a gentle kiss. It lasted only a moment, and it was chaste as kisses went, but he felt his world move.

This was the end .. it was the end of the beginning. They had a whole bright future ahead of them. It was finally time for them to make a start, on getting their happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s the final chapter!! Well, I say final but … there’s going to be at least five oneshots added to this verse. Plus this verse will be open to prompts, so want to see something I didn’t cover - prompt :) I’m going to write three of the planned oneshots this month, to cover more of Belle and Rumple's reconciliation, and I'll be posting two of them before the premiere on the 25th. I hope you've enjoyed the story and the ending is satisfying. Thanks to everyone who has read it, or commented, or left kudos. It's always appreciated :)


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